Continuous flow of information, keeping the employees aware through various modes, focusing primarily on creating a sense of stability. The challenge of over and under communication needs also to be looked at.
COVID-19 has and will continue to change the attitude towards remote working. Pushing the technological implementation into day-to-day operations, ensuring smooth and employee friendly user interface via virtual medium will make sure the benefits outweigh the costs.
Organizations need to reconsider and review the way performance expectation, engagement and evaluation is being done. Well-being of employees, risks associated with isolation, the lack of face-to-face communication and sustainable deliverables would need to be considered to take a more balanced approach.
Above all, leading with empathy will go a long way in ensuring strong employees connect.
Digital Team management/ Digital Leadership – In the past as we know Leadership, as a skill, got many nuances added to it - Adaptive, Inclusive, and leading multiple generations, however in the future we will see it all coming together, to be exercised as a leader in a digital heavy ecosystem and fluid teams. Therefore, it is a muscle that will need building.
Social Capital – Every organization is a society of likeminded people, coming together to achieve a common goal, celebrating success together, supporting each other in challenging tasks, and making social connections in every interaction and networking. This collective experience builds the social capital of each employee. In the current scenario, as the future clearly dictates to be a heavy blend of a physical and virtual workforce, to still, maintain the personal connections and one team identity is going to be imperative for HR along with Business Leaders to come up with creative ways of engagement and for the employees to feel a sense of belonging and having a friend at work.
Widening of the Talent Space is another important change that has both sides to the coin. With the Hybrid working model, higher flexibility and focus on Diversity and Inclusion, we will witness a revamp in Organizational EVP and attractiveness. However, this change also comes with the challenge of retaining your internal talent with more rigor and focus. It will require Management to rethink their hiring as well as retention strategies.
Due to the new base line- Remote world, the top 3 key challenges in my mind are:
Organizations have adapted quickly to the crisis; however, the pandemic is far from over. Organizations will need to assess and sustain the good practices and policies implemented so far and re-visit some practices to adapt to the changing environment. Organizations' success will depend on how employees see their career, compensation, and well-being is taken care of by the employer. 3 key challenges or changes that the workplace will need to adapt to –
The three workplace changes that I foresee this year are:
The workplace is evolving rapidly, and during these pandemic times, we must be in the business of rethinking the ways we care for infrastructure and other facilities.
While research reveals employees do have a desire to return to offices to resume in-person collaboration, many would like to limit that to two or three days per week. Additionally, expectations have changed, and safety is now a top priority for a workforce hoping to re-enter their workspaces.
Reimagining workspaces and creating an employee experience that will help engage your top talent is essential and that is why creating a "hybrid workplace" of the future becomes crucial.