Despite their best efforts, many leaders still struggle to “get it right” in terms of managing a hybrid workforce. A recent Harvard Business Review article points out five key trends for leaders to consider.
Leaders are adopting different mindsets to be successful managing a hybrid environment based on these trends. Some of the key points from the article are highlighted below.
Without question, employees’ priorities have changed. 47% of employees are putting their families and personal lives and 53% are putting their wellness ahead of work compared to before the pandemic. The mentality of work first, everything else second is rapidly eroding.
What does the office mean in this new environment? Going to the office just because people used to go to an office doesn’t cut it, especially when they have learned to be productive working remotely. Why commute when there isn’t a viable reason to do so?
On the other hand, working remotely has resulted in longer and expanded workdays, which isn’t a sustainable workforce solution over time. Work has crept into evenings and weekends even when not necessitated by adjusting hours for personal issues. The underlying research in this study shows that this is finally starting to change with people taking more time off and having more ad hoc calls instead of formal meetings.
Relationships among co-workers has suffered in some cases and flourished in others. Leaders need to keep in mind the importance of fostering these relationships and how they contribute to the overall morale of the organization.
Savvy leaders recognize that the employees from pre-pandemic days aren’t the same as the way they are in today’s workforce. Their expectations have changed, and with this, leadership needs to recognize and embrace “changes for good” as they evolve.
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