It is beyond time for a new way of thinking about work. I’ve spent a good bit of time talking to leaders about the work-from-home debate. Think back to (or Google) the Industrial Revolution. Back in the early 1900s work transitioned from mostly manual labor to leveraging machinery. At that juncture, people freaked out about losing their job to a machine. The pace of progress accelerated, and things rapidly moved from machinery to maximizing efficiency.Then, assembly lines. Then, automation. Now, AI. No matter how hard you fight it, work continues to evolve, and leadership styles need to change too.
Remember a few years ago there was a global pandemic? COVID19, The Rona, The Boomer Doomer (sorry Boomers), The Vid. Seriously though, the world experienced a significant disruption. Almost every person on the planet went through some form of personal loss - loved ones, jobs, businesses, and horrific combinations of those. As we come out of that time, it’s no wonder that workers are drawing a line in the sand when it comes to going back to the office. The pandemic proved that work location is not the key driver of productivity and profit. Bottom line: Personal and professional values shifted during the pandemic, and we have all witnessed the negative response to old norms.
People discovered the meaning of work-life balance. The commute alone adds time to the workweek that is unpaid and frustrating. Today, workers are using that time to sleep, eat and exercise prior to starting the day. Workers’ values have evolved, and leaders need to catch up.
Not every job can be remote, I get it. But can we acknowledge the changes and come up with a strategy so that everyone wins? Can we develop leaders and redefine culture as one that includes hybrid work? People like working in their jammies and having their dog in their office. They like taking their kids to school and other appointments. They like being home when their kids arrive from school. They like shutting down the computer at a reasonable time of day and then transitioning to spending time with family, hobbies, and other life-fulfilling stuff. They claim to have less work-related stress due to office politics and fewer disruptions from idle co-workers. Don’t we want our employees to have better balance?
Here’s the rub. Workers claim to be happier and more productive while working from home and employers claim people are less productive. It is a complicated issue. Today’s leader has a myriad of frustrations and concerns with the work-from-home movement.
First up, lack of control. If I’m (the boss) in my office and you (workers) are in your adjacent cubicles or offices, I can see you work. Which means, you’re working. On work. Wake up, Mr. Boss Lady, they may also be shopping, checking social media, and even looking for a new job. Just because they are physically present doesn’t mean they are not also checked out. After decades in an office environment, I will tell you that productivity is not a measure of time in the office. It is impossible to calculate the amount of time co-workers were sidetracked by idle disruptions, junior high like cliques, 2-hour long lunches, unnecessary meetings, and bad office gossip sessions. All of these disrupters diminish productivity and lead to toxic work cultures. But shit got done. Deals were made, work was finished and then people went home. Superiority control is an illusion. A better approach would be to hire and develop people who responsibly manage themselves and exhibit self-control.
Productivity is dependent on motivation, skills and working conditions. If an employee doesn’t have know-how, clear direction and measurable work outcomes, productivity will suffer regardless of geography. Employees want to feel successful and appreciated. Maybe 100 years ago we could argue that the paycheck is a form of appreciation but record levels of turnover today prove otherwise. Good leaders must evolve their definitions of productivity to meet the needs of their specific business outcomes. If we define and measure business outcomes and take care of our employees as though our business depended on it (because it does) maybe, we figure out a blended and balanced solution to remote work.
Communication challenges are also a concern. This one has some merit, I guess. As the boss I can’t just walk on over to your workspace and ask you a question. I can’t chit chat with you and ask you about your life. I can’t see if you’re distressed or sad or happy or excited. If you work from home, you could have internet issues. You could be changing your laundry from the washer to the dryer when I need you. Teams and other virtual messaging apps can be tricky because humans rely on syntax and context for understanding. We've all seen the memes that say, “Let’s eat grandma. and Let’s eat, grandma. Punctuation saves lives.”
Communication can’t be one-size-fits-all because the message isn’t one-size-fits-all. My two cents, establish some simple guidelines to define how and when to use certain types of communication. For face-to-face meetings, maybe set up a weekly lunch (or brown bag). Heck, why not meet at a bowling alley?
Companies are also citing culture as a reason to bring employees back into the office. Yet, big companies with better-than-average work culture span over multiple locations, time zones and countries. I’m talking about well-known companies such as Southwest Airlines, Zappos, Google and Patagonia. Company culture refers to the values, beliefs, behaviors, practices, and traditions that make up the company’s identity. It includes everything from the company's mission, vision, and goals to its communication style, management approach, work environment, and employee benefits. If your concern is that hybrid work is the bane of your culture, take a step back. When is the last time you invested in evolving your company’s cultural ecosystem or establishing a framework for how work gets done?
The generations that run the world now demand that we take a different approach. They will not stand for antiquated work ideals. And, Mr. Boss Lady, they outnumber us by a lot! For real transformation to take place, you must be willing to embrace disruption and change perspectives. I say that purposefully because, at Mercury, that’s what we do. We help cultures evolve. We help leaders evolve. Remote work isn’t the bad guy, friends. The remote-work debate is a sign of more to come in terms of how work gets done and where. Buckle up, Buttercup. “Times they are a’changing.” (Bob Dylan) Which is what I'm sayin...
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