Are We All Going Hybrid?
Future of Workplace getty  Good fortune, said Thomas Edison, is what happens when opportunity meets with planning.  That sentiment seems to be prevalent as employers are bringing people back to the office. A new study from MindEdge Learning, an ed-tech learning firm, however, is not so optimistic:   59% of those surveyed who have yet to return to work say they are concerned about having to go back before they feel safe;   Nearly half are expecting a hybrid workplace indicated that their companies would institute a hybrid work schedule in 2021;   Hybrid workers want to be at their place of work 3.3 days per week; and   Only a quarter of workers want to work in place full-time. Worker desires may be more than aspirations. The demand for employees is escalating so much so that as Neil Irwin wrote in the New York Times: For the first time in a generation, workers are gaining the upper hand. An executive with Randstad North America told the Times, "Companies are going to have to work harder to attract and retain talent." This factor alone would make it wise for employers to consider why and bring workers back to the office. Flex for the future  Plans for MindEdges hybrid workplace involve "three factors: commutability to headquarters, job function, and employee performance, says Sandra Slager, COO of MindEdge Learning. Employees have been clear that flexibility has become a key driver of job satisfaction over the last year," says Slager. Assuming that the company is meeting its goals, and that the employee can do their job remotely and is in good standing, where the employee works is less of a concern.  MindEdge is integrating what it calls protocol overhauls. As Slager explains, First, managers must disentangle facetime from performance measurement. Second, communication policies and protocols must be reinvented to support managers and employees within the hybrid model. And third, flexibility must become a highly messaged and celebrated benefit of the corporate culture.  Implementing these protocols, Slager believes, will "support the short-term goals of the company and increase employee job satisfaction." Longer-term, such an approach will allow "the company to pivot more easily to deal with new realities, should a move back to remote work be called for in the future.  Impact on work and life  There is one aspect of back-to-the-office routine that employers may be overlooking. What opportunities for flexibility will they receive in our "new normal. Many made great sacrifices to serve the general public. It would seem only fair that such workers be granted a measure of flexibility in how they do their work. Christopher Floyd, owner of the hospitality industry recruitment firm Capital Restaurant Resources in Washington, told the Times, "Now employers have to say, 'You have the qualities we're looking for; maybe we can work out a more flexible schedule that works for you.' Employers are becoming much more aware that yes, it's about money, but also about the quality of life." Employees are in the drivers seat right now. The war for talent is in their favor. So consider designing workspaces with the following considerations in mind. Ask your people what they want. Some may want to be fully virtual; others may opt for four or five days at work. Conduct surveys and have team meetings to discuss options. Determine how you will evaluate talent. Virtual does not mean invisible. Many employees have proven their worth by demonstrating new levels of insight as well as higher levels of productivity. Consider how you will retain, reward and promote such workers. Groom for the future. Generation Z people may only know how to work virtually because they entered the workspace at the time Covid-19 struck. Do not assume they will assimilate to an office environment. Find ways to educate them on office etiquette. Also, look for their input into how to make the workspace more amenable. Plan to plan again. Whenever people come back to work, be prepared to flex again. What you plan not may not be viable in six months. Our imposed shutdown forced a new way of working. It would be a shame to toss out those lessons. Work from anywhere is not a fad. It is here to stay. As we contemplate the future of the workspace, it is wise to do so with a sense of humility. As the late comedian George Carlin quipped, "The future will soon be a thing of the past."