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APAC News Work blender—virtual meets physical
The report also highlights that businesses that have
China template for LGBT
The ongoing global pandemic has put employee
a digital workplace strategy are consistently more
Asia is the new global battleground for lesbian,
welfare under the microscope, as many businesses
likely to see greater ROI than those that don’t.
gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights.
have had to embrace remote working in order to
For instance, over half saw increased productivity
The recent study, Pride and Prejudice: The
continue business as usual. Companies had to create
versus only 40% of those without such a strategy.
next chapter of progress, by EIU, captures the
new digital workplaces where remote employees have
In order to achieve these results, businesses need
opinions of 359 full-time employees across seven
the right tools to communicate and collaborate, while
to go beyond a mere work-at-home policy to
economies—China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia,
also feeling supported which maintains productivity.
define the purpose and goals of the program, the
Japan, Singapore and Taiwan—via a survey. It
approach the organisation will take, and how they
reveals advances for LGBT inclusion in Asia’s
The new report from Verizon Business, Recreating
will measure success. The use of technology is a key
business community, despite the widespread
Work as a Blend of Virtual and Physical Experiences,
differentiator in this strategy.
conservative groupthink (herd) mentality. Even with progress, 40% of Asian executives continue
examines the impact of the recent rise in remote working and discusses key areas business leaders
The report focuses on three key focus areas for
to report that being openly LGBT would hinder
should focus on as they help their organisation adapt
maximizing digital work strategies in the future:
their careers.
•
to new ways of working moving forward. Working
smarter:
forced
While companies in the West have played a
Over 80% of the companies surveyed see the digital
widespread use of video and web conferencing.
COVID-19
vocal role in advancing LGBT rights over the
workplace co-existing with the physical workspace
Smart organisations are increasing efficiency
past several years, companies in Asia stand at a
in the future, although 80% are also expecting an
by integrating these with collaboration tools
crossroads. Where just over 60% of respondents
increase in the amount of remote work conducted.
to let employees collaborate remotely in real-
in India believe there has been substantial
This increase means organisations will be able to
time, spend less time in meetings, and turn
or major progress in diversity and inclusion
pick and choose which types of work and which
discussions into assignments.
for LGBT people in their firms, half of the respondents from Indonesia, Hong Kong, and
people will require a physical presence, and where Prioritising simplicity and integration: To
Japan believe little to no progress has been
with virtual work. More than half of business leaders
ensure a cohesive, productive digital work
made. These disparities call for a brighter
reported that the quality of remote work was on par
environment, tools should be easy to use and
spotlight on how Asian companies can foster
with the work conducted in the physical workplace.
integrate seamlessly with other workplace
LGBT acceptance, given the rising concerns
The benefits of remote working are numerous with
productivity and collaboration tools.
around disclosing one’s sexual orientation/
the company can gain efficiency and productivity
•
gender identity in the workplace.
over half of respondents experiencing improved collaboration, seeing a boost in business agility and an increase in productivity.
6 HR MAGAZINE WINTER 2020
•
Keep security top of mind: Potential security gaps exist on employee PCs, devices,
Asia’s two dominant powers, India and China,
home networks, and apps, representing a
have positioned themselves as regional leaders
growing threat with the shift to remote work.
on LGBT acceptance in several areas of the
Enterprise-grade security enables businesses
study. As their geopolitical influence grows,
to identify and protect against fraud, and
their corporate views are becoming more aligned
ensure that private calls and meetings remain
with that of their employees, a young, dynamic
private. Companies should also consider
cohort for whom promoting LGBT rights is
implementing end-user security awareness
a greater priority than for older generation
training, acceptable use policies that mitigate
workers. As China and India move towards
user exposure to threats, and new security
embracing LGBT diversity and inclusion, they
policies for remote working such as two-
begin to shape a trend to be followed by the rest
factor authentication. n
of Asia. n
