BY: Alecia Hicks
With life being so uncertain and the constant fears and changes of life during a pandemic, what does this mean for the workforce? Pre-pandemic people who worked had their regular schedules of waking up, going to their 9-5 jobs, and enjoying what little free time was left over. Due to the pandemic, people have found a new kind of freedom that allows them to continue to do their jobs from the comfort of their own homes while still maintaining a quality of life.
So what does this mean for the conventional corporate business owner that, at one point, required their employees to be present to do their jobs? Zach Crescenzo says that “business leaders are most concerned with maintaining the corporate culture.” Crescenzo notes the 3 C’s to abide by to ensure the integrity of corporate culture are:
- Connection
- Contribution
- Comfort
Businesses have found the key to ensuring all three of these components stay intact is to move to a hybrid workforce. This means the workforce will be a blended environment of those choosing to work remotely and those who prefer an office space. Comfortability has become a priority. Employees are starting to realize that it is very possible to contribute to a company while simultaneously being comfortable.
In order for everyone to feel connected, a company should choose a central channel of communication in order to keep up with everyone in the company. Zoom has been a huge help in ensuring this happens. Zoom and similar platforms have been helpful tools in ensuring the respectability and integrity of the workplace. One of the main concerns with the hybrid workforce transition is the opportunity for employees to slack off during the workday. Platforms like Zoom have made working from home even more possible.
The second step in maintaining the integrity of a company is through contribution. One way to keep up a positive atmosphere within a company and to make employees feel as if they are contributing to the overall good of the company is to keep them up to date on successes within the company. This might look like employee spotlight articles or company wins. This method not only helps employees feel like they are a part of a family within their company, but it also keeps the organization as a whole up to date, whether employees are working from home or in the office.
Lastly, comfort has become one of the biggest priorities during the pandemic. Not only physically, but culturally. Employees want to know that the company they work for truly has their best interests at heart. Crescenzo says, “The pandemic, climate change, racial injustice . . . these are all sensitive topics that have been weighing on the minds of employees over the past year. These topics don’t just go away during the workday.” Which is true. Life doesn’t stop when you enter the workplace. Since offices are where people spend the majority of their days, then this is where these sorts of issues are most prevalent. Companies should be conscious of the outside environment so that they can readily regulate and set a positive and inclusive tone for their employees.
Source: www.prdaily.com/managing-the-hybrid-workforce-what-will-employees-want-and-need/