The New World of Work
In a recent article in the NY Post, Author Malcolm Gladwell slammed workers for working from home. He thinks that remote work is hurting society and that a recession will likely drive employees who are “sitting in their pajamas” back into the office.,
The bestselling author of “Blink” and “The Tipping Point” grew emotional and shed tears as he told the “Diary of a CEO” podcast that people need to come into the office in order to regain a “sense of belonging” and to feel part of something larger than themselves.
As a student of organization effectiveness and the workplace, my views have evolved over the past two years. Pre-pandemic I may have agreed with Mr. Gladwell, but having worked with many executives and professionals during the pandemic, I would argue that it is possible to be productive AND have a sense of belonging without the traditional office environment. Remote work has actually enhanced the life of many workers, especially women, who often carry a disproportionate amount of household and child-rearing duties. Simply taking the commute and additional costs out of one’s day can be life-enhancing. Working remotely can offer more control over your day; especially if the traditional work environment allowed for few boundaries and lots of interruptions. More control over your work day typically leads to more focus, higher productivity and higher employee engagement.
Mr. Gladwell implies that workers are hurting and isolated. He said, “As we face the battle that all organizations are facing now in getting people back into the office, it’s really hard to explain this core psychological truth, which is we want you to have a feeling of belonging and to feel necessary.” “It’s not in your best interest to stay at home.”
While I do not see this as an all or nothing scenario, this is a pivotal time in society that strategic leaders can capitalize on. It’s not easy to be a leader during unprecedented times; however for those who have been forward-thinking, they have had opportunities to be very profitable the past two years. Many leaders have advanced their careers, and became more productive – all while finding that this new world of work required being a kind and compassionate leader. What did they do differently from traditional leaders? I have identified 5 competencies:
They accepted The Great Resignation and responded accordingly. Unemployment has remained at a record low. The pandemic led to a lot of self-reflection and reassessment of life styles. Many workers used time during the pandemic to retool and upskill, to retire, to learn that they can live with less, to stay home with children or elderly, or to decide that they will no longer stay in a job where they are undercompensated, not appreciated or not safe.
They adapted their communication style. Successful leaders today must be able to adapt their communication to the audience. They have increased the frequency of their communications and have been more deliberate in order to nurture their teams and continue to maintain connection with peers and customers.
They led with compassion.These are the leaders who regularly had 1:1 with their employees during the height of the pandemic. They inquired about their mental and physical status, as well as their families. These leaders put retention strategies in place to ensure that they were retaining their highest value employees.
They recognized that there is a War for Talent. Strategic leaders are offering compensation increases and enhanced benefits to attract and retain the best talent in today’s labor market.They are identifying creative approaches to provide flexibility, such as 4-day work weeks or hybrid schedules.
Finally, these leaders have successfully kept their employees engaged. They have listened to their teams, and identified ways to keep teams focused. They are deliberate about creating a community. They take action based on employee feedback and advocate for their people.
With all of that said, Malcolm Gladwell wasn’t all wrong when he said, “It’s not in your best interest to stay home”. However, it doesn’t have to be a bilateral choice. The right balance will differ for each person and require leaders to think differently about how they manage. If organizations can help their leaders develop these 5 competencies and give leaders latitude to create solutions that work for their team, their leaders will be well positioned to retain key talent and create a productive and profitable organization.
Eileen Springer© August 2022