HR Managers – is hybrid working, working? Or is it still causing you some headaches?
It seems that every organisation has taken a slightly different approach, creating a myriad of hybrid working models. And opinions on hybrid working are just as varied.
Benefits often cited include:
Less time and expense on commuting creates a better work life balance
It’s easy to see how reducing the commute to a couple of days per week creates more space for a healthier lifestyle. One high-performing manager told me that he was reluctant to return to the office at all as he now uses the time each morning to go for a run and was reaping the benefits in terms of his physical and mental health. His stance created a headache for HR who were tasked with getting everyone into the office at least once a week. And there is no doubt that the reduced expense will be on people’s mind in the current cost of living crisis.
Personally, I cannot imagine going back to commuting 5 days per week, although we regularly travel to client sites to deliver our face-to-face workshops. But how many days in the office works for your staff and for the business? I spoke to one manager who said she would love to be in the office more, but too often when she has made the effort to go in, she is the only person from her department in the building.
recommend ensuring that staff come into the office for a specific purpose such as training, strategy days or regular meetings. I know that some businesses have created what they call ‘anchor days’ to bring people together in person. Many people surveyed think that a sense of belonging and creativity can only be achieved when meeting up with colleagues in the office environment. It seems that group work on Teams just doesn’t cut it!
Ensuring inclusion and equity of opportunity
Another headache for HR Managers is ensuing that their remote workers have the same access to training and promotion opportunities as their ‘back-at-the-office’ colleagues. I think that that will be an uphill struggle with proximity bias looming large over who gets to lead a new juicy project.
The issue of productivityÂ
Perceptions about productivity seem to vary enormously with some staff saying they prefer to do focused work at home, where they can be most productive, rather than at the office where there can be numerous distractions. But we can’t assume that everyone has a home office setup that is free of distractions. And linked to perceptions about productivity is the issue of trust. I feel disheartened when I hear HR colleagues talk about software that tracks their staff – even down to how often they move their computer mouse. Is this really the way we want to treat adults in the world of work?
Back in May we delivered a forum theatre workshop at Essex University Business School which addressed the topic of hybrid working. The scenario we scripted included a character who was reluctant to return to the office 4 days per week as directed by the business. His productivity was excellent and he resented his employer suggesting that his role had to be office based. The back story to this scene revealed that he and his partner had taken the opportunity to move out of London during the pandemic and had since bought a property in an areas which would mean a lengthy and expensive commute. It stimulated some very thoughtful and insightful discussions about the challenges being experienced by both employers and employees.
I was interested to hear if the quality of the discussions generated at our forum theatre event would be echoed by the panel on Radio 4’s recent edition of ‘The Bottom Line’Â Back to the office
They didn’t disappoint, with each describing how their organisations are navigating the tricky territory of hybrid working, each with a different approach. It is well worth a listen.
HR Managers – is hybrid working, working? Or is it still causing you some headaches?
It seems that every organisation has taken a slightly different approach, creating a myriad of hybrid working models. And opinions on hybrid working are just as varied.
Benefits often cited include:
Less time and expense on commuting creates a better work life balance
It’s easy to see how reducing the commute to a couple of days per week creates more space for a healthier lifestyle. One high-performing manager told me that he was reluctant to return to the office at all as he now uses the time each morning to go for a run and was reaping the benefits in terms of his physical and mental health. His stance created a headache for HR who were tasked with getting everyone into the office at least once a week. And there is no doubt that the reduced expense will be on people’s mind in the current cost of living crisis.
Personally, I cannot imagine going back to commuting 5 days per week, although we regularly travel to client sites to deliver our face-to-face workshops. But how many days in the office works for your staff and for the business? I spoke to one manager who said she would love to be in the office more, but too often when she has made the effort to go in, she is the only person from her department in the building.
Public First, in their report on Hybrid Working
recommend ensuring that staff come into the office for a specific purpose such as training, strategy days or regular meetings. I know that some businesses have created what they call ‘anchor days’ to bring people together in person. Many people surveyed think that a sense of belonging and creativity can only be achieved when meeting up with colleagues in the office environment. It seems that group work on Teams just doesn’t cut it!
Ensuring inclusion and equity of opportunity
Another headache for HR Managers is ensuing that their remote workers have the same access to training and promotion opportunities as their ‘back-at-the-office’ colleagues. I think that that will be an uphill struggle with proximity bias looming large over who gets to lead a new juicy project.
The issue of productivityÂ
Perceptions about productivity seem to vary enormously with some staff saying they prefer to do focused work at home, where they can be most productive, rather than at the office where there can be numerous distractions. But we can’t assume that everyone has a home office setup that is free of distractions. And linked to perceptions about productivity is the issue of trust. I feel disheartened when I hear HR colleagues talk about software that tracks their staff – even down to how often they move their computer mouse. Is this really the way we want to treat adults in the world of work?
Back in May we delivered a forum theatre workshop at Essex University Business School which addressed the topic of hybrid working. The scenario we scripted included a character who was reluctant to return to the office 4 days per week as directed by the business. His productivity was excellent and he resented his employer suggesting that his role had to be office based. The back story to this scene revealed that he and his partner had taken the opportunity to move out of London during the pandemic and had since bought a property in an areas which would mean a lengthy and expensive commute. It stimulated some very thoughtful and insightful discussions about the challenges being experienced by both employers and employees.
I was interested to hear if the quality of the discussions generated at our forum theatre event would be echoed by the panel on Radio 4’s recent edition of ‘The Bottom Line’Â Back to the office
They didn’t disappoint, with each describing how their organisations are navigating the tricky territory of hybrid working, each with a different approach. It is well worth a listen.