The world of flexible work is in flux. On the one hand, we’re hearing about the imminent Day One Flex legislation and successful implementation of the four day week by organisations ranging from Atom Bank to Amazon. On the other, we’re seeing employers like international law firm Osborne Clarke tying bonuses to being physically in the office for three days a week (although it has clarified that some staff might have “valid reasons” for not doing so). Zoom, the company that has become synonymous with home working, is also now telling employees to come into the office for at least two days a week.
Change is the only constant
Amongst the constant change, one thing is certain. Many employers are struggling to find the best way to implement effective hybrid working. This is compounded by a growing divide between the needs, expectations and communication styles of the multigenerational workforce.
With the theme “Creating a culture that enables employees to thrive in the new world of work” these were shared challenges which attendees at the second Make A Difference Leaders’ Club lunch were able to debate in a closed-door, sales-free setting. The lunch, which brought together global HR, business, wellbeing and diversity leaders, was hosted by Gallup at their offices in The Shard in July, and sponsored by Headspace.
Challenges and takeaways
The key message to emerge was that empowering managers to create a culture that enables employees to thrive in the new world of work will be increasingly essential to business success going forward.
But just how can you empower managers to create a culture of care at a time when constant change has
made employees more stressed, anxious and burned out than ever?
Four key takeaways from the lively discussion included:
- Hybrid working needn’t undermine culture
- People need clarity and purpose
- Paternalism needs to be balanced with self-care
- Consider measuring and rewarding people skills
You can find out more about the points that were discussed, the key takeaways and suggested action points in our Make A Difference Leaders’ Lunch #2 report by downloading the report here.
We welcome your feedback too, so please join our discussion on LinkedIn.
