Heidi Roper, Director, ViewHR, on the challenges facing businesses in this new world of work.

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There has been a lot of talk about hybrid models, the taking on of office and home working by businesses and concerns have been raised when it comes to long-term implications on culture and engagement.

So what should your business focus on to make this work?

A positive work environment has a demonstrable impact on productivity and therefore your bottom line. Businesses that fail to take the concepts of culture and engagement seriously will be at a detriment – especially if they are adopting new working models during this time.

ViewHR have defined the best proactive steps to take so that business owners avoid the risks and pitfalls of developing your new way of working: Provide clarity, enable connection, support collaboration and build the right culture.

Clarity

Communication is the key item to consider when trying to ensure that people understand what is expected of them. If your employees do not know what you expect then how can you define how they are going to achieve it? Also, they need to have real clarity on to whom they need to communicate success or issues to and where their support will be coming from.

Performance management expectations need to be clear for everyone. Roles may have changed. The way roles are completed may have changed and clarifying these expectations is key for individuals. Also, by ensuring that training and performance management aspects are captured effectively is an important step in the performance management process.

Connection

For both sustained productivity and the mental health and wellbeing of your teams, you need to create opportunity for continued connection:

1. Between employees
2. With clients/customers
3. With family
4. With outside

You can do this through the creation of office days, team building events, social committees, catch up calls with no agenda (but with a plan to engage people) and good communication.

Collaboration

Innovation is not just represented by introducing or implementing new ideas or methods. The definition of innovation can be defined as a process that involves multiple activities to uncover new ways to do things.

Businesses need to think purposefully about bringing people together, providing the opportunity for diversity of thought, and enabling the power of the collective.

Best in class companies ensure that they hold a collaborative session in person or virtually so that their teams have the ability to create and innovate. Those businesses ultimately benefit so it is a win-win.

Culture

Work culture is the thing employees’ rate as most important when looking for a new job (even more so post covid). The way companies have treated employees has never been so transparent. Much of the feedback on websites like Glassdoor/LinkedIn etc focuses on workplace culture and benefits.

Businesses need to be purposeful about their culture and start with questions like, ‘How do we want to treat our people?’ or, ‘How do we want to work with our customers?’ which can be a catalyst for this shift.

Remember, choices made about new working styles, like adopting a remote working policy, will also have an effect on company culture. For example, if a company chooses to fully embrace flexible working as part of their company culture, this could provide an opportunity to broaden talent pools and increase diversity.

ViewHR are working across multiple industries in different locations to support businesses to implement best-in-class working models post-Covid. If you would like to get help and support to define your idea, create your policies and implement your contractual changes, then contact a member of the ViewHR team today.

hr@viewhr.co.uk   

01425 205390

viewhr.co.uk