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We recently published an article on the many major companies that have introduced return-to-work policies to try and force teams back into the office following the remote work revolution instigated by the pandemic. An increasing number of companies are trying to force teams back into the office at least two days a week, and some companies want employees working from the office full-time.
However, while KPMG research suggests that management teams and CEOs think everyone will be back in the office over the next three years, HR departments are singing a different tune. They are warning CEOs that they will lose key talent if they force a return, especially women, who tend to favor remote work because of their greater share of household responsibilities. Many people are now saying that they would be willing to accept a lower salary for the flexibility of being able to work remotely at least some of the time.
Rebecca Trotsky, the Chief People Office at HR Acuity suggests that “instead of reverting to ways of working from a pre-Covid era as a crutch, leaders should instead focus on building competencies to lead effectively in this new era.”
HR experts suggest two areas that leaders should be focused on to adapt to a new era.
#1 Supporting the Whole Person
One thing that HR leaders are recommending is that leaders stop thinking of their talent as just employees. For decades, employer-employee relationships have been largely “transactional” with hard lines drawn between personal and professional lives. You pay for a service, that the employee delivers, and leaders don’t concern themselves with the lives of their teams outside of the office.
HR suggests that leaders now think of the “whole person” and question how their company is supporting their physical, mental, and emotional needs. This is more than altruism. Lost productivity due to burnt-out workers costs money and happy employees who enjoy their lives tend to be able to give more and be more innovative.
In some way, this feels like returning to the past. In Victorian England, it was common for business leaders to take responsibility for the well-being of their workers. In the 19th century, Cadbury’s decided to build their chocolate factory in the countryside rather than the smoky city to promote employee wellbeing: “If each man could have his own hose, a large garden to cultivate and healthy surroundings – then, I thought, there will be for them a better opportunity of a happy family life” (George Cadbury).
While Cadbury’s was a success story, workers also complained about the paternal attitudes of their employers, arguing that they had no say in how they lived their lives. This led to these policies being abandoned and the transactional employer-employee relationship that we are familiar with today.
Therefore, while leaders need to support the whole person as more than just a worker, they also need to walk a fine line and not overstep the mark into paternal attitudes. Experts recommend actively listening to employees and responding to real needs, rather than passing arbitrary policies. It is also important to prioritize flexibility to accommodate unexpected life situations. When wellness initiatives involve things like incentivized physical activity, leadership needs to lead by example and actively participate.
“Leadership is not about being in charge. Leadership is about taking care of those in your charge” (Simon Sinek).
#2 Enable Autonomy
We have previously written about research showing that autonomy and self-determination at work are one of the main drivers of employee satisfaction. The research suggests that this stems from each person’s innate need to be the causal agent in their own life, which means making decisions for themselves and seeing the outcomes of those decisions.
Good leaders need to move from micromanagement to giving qualified employees the autonomy to complete their work in the way they think best in terms of when, where, and how they work. This is best controlled with deliverables and deadlines rather than monitoring time online and hours worked.
Leaders who can enable this kind of autonomous working can expect greater productivity and commitment to the job. This works best when partnered with fostering a sense of belonging, where everyone feels like a valued member of the team and trusts each other. This is one of the biggest challenges for leaders of remote teams.
When granting autonomy, one of the biggest challenges with hybrid teams is to make members who do need to come into the office due to the nature of their work also feel like they have a level of autonomy. Otherwise, you can end up with inequality in the team which can lead to resentment and dissatisfaction. Experts recommend offering on-site employees the maximum possible flexibility with working start and end times and working hours to foster their sense of self-determination.
Managing Remote Teams
When it comes to managing remote or hybrid teams, the experts also have a few practical tips for managers and leaders to help their teams work more effectively.
- Be accessible and available
Remote environments require extra effort to connect, as you don’t have the comfort and benefit of physical proximity. It is important for leaders to be approachable with regular team meetings, one-on-one sessions, and email updates. But this must be balanced by not eating the team’s time with unnecessary meetings.
- Be consistent and transparent
It is important to treat all team members fairly and equally based on their contribution and merit and not based on where they are located. This is especially important for hybrid teams when it is easy to favor talent and colleagues in close proximity. Actively pursuing and demonstrating consistently can help reduce team stress and conflict.
- Be clear with expectations
Don’t leave team members guessing about what is required of them. Make sure that everyone knows what they are meant to be doing by clarifying tasks, processes, and roles. When should team members be available and work delivered, and what are the appropriate channels for communication. Crucially, ensure that all team members know how performance will be evaluated and how decisions will be made.
Final Thought
Our final thought on this topic is that leaders should not just be focusing on the wellbeing of their teams, but also their own wellbeing. Leaders who are thriving energize and inspire their teams.
