hrexecutive.com | humancapitalleague.com, June 21, 2021, by Josh Bersin
In recent months, hybrid work has been one of the big topics of the Josh Bersin Academy’s ongoing Big Reset executive working groups. In fact, we’ll soon be publishing an entire report on the topic, with case studies from companies such as Autodesk, Sutter Health, Ferrero and RELX along with checklists and detailed considerations.
What we are seeing is that developing an effective, safe and productive approach to hybrid work takes planning and work across the enterprise. Work scheduling, management processes, systems and tools, benefits policies and much, much more all have to be factored in. Here are several considerations that might be less obvious but are nevertheless highly important.
Focus on culture
Hybrid work requires having conversations around your company culture. Work practices, management behaviors, reward systems and flexibility are all likely affected by any plans you put into place. It’s important to discuss and review changes so employees know what’s expected.
For example, some companies may mandate meeting attendance with cameras on for remote workers or may require that employees come into the workplace on certain days. Others may have more relaxed policies. (In our company, client meetings can always interrupt normal internal meetings.)
I suggest taking time to reflect on what has gone well over the past year and what didn’t work so well. You’ll want to work with senior leaders to continue to build on what went well even as employees start to come back to the workplace. For instance, many companies greatly simplified decision-making and performance management and now plan to make such changes permanent.
Continue to build out a collaborative technology platform
Vendors like Zoom, Microsoft, Cisco, Salesforce, Google and Facebook are pouring billions of dollars into tools for virtual meetings, collaboration, knowledge management, safe workplaces, wellbeing and video sharing.
The innovations are astounding. Microsoft Teams and Stream can capture every conversation on video and transcribe meetings so people can catch up on anything they miss. Tools like Loom and Guru can store video and documents and make knowledge management real. Vendors such as EdCast, Degreed, Fuse and Wisetail can quickly create learning portals; tools like WalkMe, Pendo and Spekit can instantly make apps easier to use; solutions like Cultivate, Glint, CultureAmp, Peakon and Viva Insights can capture employee sentiment, help people save time and provide online coaching.
HR should partner with IT to standardize efforts around platforms and tools that work well together and that will meet long-term needs. I’ll deliver key insights on what this shift to work tech means for your technology strategy and implementation priorities at this fall’s HR Technology Conference.
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