We do know that, to attract and retain the brightest and best talent, we must create adaptable, resilient, empowering and purpose-driven workplaces. But who makes these decisions, who drives the change and what is the right way forward?
“We're still dealing with the tailwind of the pandemic, and we will be for some time. That's why it feels a little bit chaotic, and very much indeterminable. But we are learning quickly what is working and what isn’t working.” [Customer voice]
The talent war
Attracting and retaining talent in a tight labour market is a top priority for almost every business. Additionally, employee expectations are higher than ever, and organisations must not only meet but also exceed these expectations to become an employer of choice. In attracting and retaining talent, the workplace experience is crucial and must offer something that the home cannot. It’s not just about enabling productivity, it’s about offering an enjoyable place to work, an experience and a community to belong to.
“We're looking at what we've got to do to bring in talent and the key, it seems, is to offer flexibility.” - Financial Services Customer
Breaking bad habits
“Throughout the pandemic, most people stopped talking to anyone who they didn’t directly work with. In fact, time spent communicating with colleagues increased during the pandemic – the average meeting time went from 25 minutes to 35 minutes.” Dr Nicola Millard, Principal Innovation Partner at BT
Studies have shown people make more effort, and generally perform better, when they feel part of a team that is working towards a shared goal. While virtual meetings allow people to come together and collaborate, they understandably fall short when it comes to creating and driving a sense of community spirit. The office can provide the buzz that has been lacking since the pandemic sent people home and the key is to encourage the necessary behaviour to unleash its potential.
Career progress for youngsters
While some employees are reluctant to return, others are desperate to share a space with their colleagues again. This is especially the case for the younger generation. Those under 25 are most unlikely to have a dedicated workspace or home office, with many living and working in shared accommodation. For a generation that has missed out on so much already, the future workplace needs to make up for lost time and opportunities.
Creating workplaces that work, for everybody
Regardless of the space, the amenities and the services on offer, people will still have to connect via online collaborative tools, as it will be a rare occurrence that everyone working on a given project is in the same space at the same time. Businesses need to embrace this new way of working and do everything possible to integrate in-person and virtual conversations. A further challenge lies in accommodating both collaborative and concentrative work, not to mention different work styles and preferences.
Approaches to returning to the office
Corporates are taking various approaches being adopted to address these challenges.
• People empowerment – organisations are offering flexibility in where and when people work. To that end, the workplace must provide a variety of work settings to suit different needs.
• Workplace as a destination – those that believe the office is not just a place of work, nor simply a conduit of productivity, are designing and managing workplaces that foster collaboration and community, offering immersive, participatory experiences along the way.
• More for less – employers that are embracing hybrid working are taking the opportunity to free up space and capital to reimagine the possibilities and invest in other areas of the employee experience. Smaller but smarter spaces.
• Employee-centric – creating a workplace that centres on the needs and wants of the employees first and foremost. Organisations are actively asking their people where and how they want to work.
• Exec-led – putting the business needs first. Those championing this approach are of the persuasion that following a two-year period of flux, leaders need to provide their people with guidance and direction.
The final word
There’s still much to learn about our new ways of working and the long-term effect of differing workplace strategies on employee retention, productivity and other key metrics. In this period of transition, the most important goal is to collect employee data and use those insights to learn fast.
