Some 15 months after we entered our first lockdown there were signs of a light at the end of the tunnel insofar as vaccinations gathering steam and an easing of restrictions. That situation has, unfortunately, changed somewhat as the unpredicatbility of this pandemic continues to confound scientists and the general public alike.
But, at the time of writing, we are seeing evidence that, at least in countries like the UK where a high percentage of the population have been vaccinated already, the level of infection has dropped and the severity among those infected seems to be declining even faster.
So, is it time to start readying ourselves for a return to “The Old Normal” and what can we expect the landscape to look like going forward?
Firstly, it’s my strong belief that we will never return to the way things used to be. Companies, initially sceptical that working remotely (from home) would be a sustainable solution, have seen the benefits. These have ranged from little or no drop in productivity among white-collar staff (and increases in many cases – 58% of respondents to a Korn Ferry study believing they are more productive working virtually), to a sharp drop in their overheads due to being able to relinquish expensive office space.
Among the workforce, though, things have been more mixed. Some are embracing and enjoying the ability to avoid lengthy commutes and work in more comfortable surroundings, with less than half of employees surveyed in the US thinking it likely they will return to an office, and only 14% believing they will be required to do so every day (in fact, only 11% of US companies believe all staff members will return to full-time in-office work).
Others, though, are finding this exceptionally difficult with younger workers (under 35) twice as likely to feel a lack of motivation, at 44%, than older workers (45 to 54 years old) according to YouGov (UK). This is surprising as this younger generation is generally perceived as being the “connected generation” that communicates with a remote circle all the time, but now are finding the lack of face-to-face time with their managers is impacting them.
And with more than half of employees surveyed around the world by EY considering leaving their jobs if they are not given flexibility of location and hours, the potential for business disruption is massive, as are the costs of replacing these staff.
It is clear that employers need to start working now towards a post-pandemic work environment which somehow provides the best of all worlds or, as Gartner’s 2020 ReimagineHR Employee Survey puts it, shifting from “managing the employee experience” to “managing the life experience of their employees”. Issues to consider would include:
- Office accommodation for those wishing to work full-time in an office (22% according to the EY study).
- Flexible office accommodation for the rest who would typically prefer to work remotely two to three days a week, although some will prefer even less time in the office; and redesigning office accommodation to support this shift to flexible working and team meetings.
- Clear guidelines on who is eligible to work from home, and when (some roles will necessitate being office-based); the approval process to be followed for those wishing to do so; and the company’s expectations for such remote workers (hours, availability, communications channels, even dress code). Perhaps supplemented by a “How to” guide giving information on how to make the best of working remotely.
- Easily understood measurement tools for all staff – perhaps more task-based than hours-based, albeit with defined expectations for meeting attendance (virtual and real).
- Leadership commitment to maintaining close contact with remote workers – checking in with them on a daily basis, or at least a couple of times a week, and committing, too, to an “open-door” policy, albeit a remote one.
- Management commitment to ensuring the ongoing personal development of staff – an area that has suffered greatly during the past 15 months.
- Scheduled, regular “team meetings” – held in person – to keep informal “water-cooler” communication going and the team engaged.
This will enable companies to provide a productive and satisfying working environment for their staff, so reducing the likely employee churn, while reducing overhead costs in an optimal fashion.
The world of work is therefore likely to be more complicated, with more options for staff, but one that should lead to greater productivity and happier workforces once the inevitable teething problems have been worked through.