Realising Untapped Opportunities
The Big Themes for 2021 — Chapter Three
Employee Experience.
Businesses have become more employee-centric than ever before. HR departments now concern themselves with our working lives at home, IT departments care about our internet provider and managers can no longer rely on observing our body language to know how we are doing. Employees are another customer group with unmet needs that businesses must design for. In a hybrid work mode, there is an opportunity to move away from virtual connections being awkward, burdensome and time-consuming to something more purposeful and effective. Perhaps it is time for a Head of Employee Experience or Virtual Working?
How could a hybrid work mode lead to employee and customer centricity?
Business agility.
Shifts to remote working this year have already meant increased autonomy and trust between managers and their teams. The intimacy and honesty of being ‘in’ each others’ homes has perhaps led to subtle break down in hierarchy and more mixing of voices. In some cases though, this has led to less agility as heavy meeting cultures have simply shifted online and consensus cultures have emerged which have slowed the pace of decision making. There is a real opportunity to embrace this increased autonomy and trust within and between teams to increase business agility, rather than slow them down.
Global talent.
The rapid spread of C19 proved just how small and interconnected the world is nowadays. With the shift online, place will become increasingly less important when it comes to choosing employers. Employers will be measured on how they rank on the ‘hybrid-centricity’ scale and employee expectations are going to shift too as many of us have experienced the benefits of working remotely — there is no going back to a BC work mode. There are also huge opportunities for inclusive talent too where the ability to WFA has levelled the playing field for those with disabilities who would otherwise find it challenging to travel to or work effectively in an office. The most hybrid-centric employers will attract and retain the best talent and have access to a global talent pool. The opportunity for businesses, both big and small, to grow a truly global, diverse workforce, enabled by asynchronous working rhythms, is huge.
Collaboration doesn’t have to be face-to-face.
Collaboration between and within organisations is effective in virtual environments and is happening more than before according to some: 47% of executives from 42 companies in 19 countries believe productive collaboration seemed stronger since C19. At Catalant, for example, BC the first port of call for workers would typically be whoever is closest to them in the org chart but now colleagues are collaborating between the UK and Singapore. Tasks no longer need to be allocated by title of job location or even proximity to the project leader, but by those who are best qualified to do the job wherever in the world.
How might we continue to embrace the benefits of virtual collaboration and integrate it seamlessly with face-to-face interaction?
Costs and opportunities aside, whole sectors are reimagining themselves as we move into 2021. The fourth and final chapter in this series explores some of these sectors >>
Jack is a Consultant at Fluxx. Click here for useful links to all things Fluxx.
Are you curious as to how Fluxx has helped companies such as Condé Nast, Mars, Thames Water, HSBC, Addison Lee Group and many more? Learn the secrets for sustained, repeatable innovation models, from expert practitioners. Get in touch now Jack.Metcalfe@Fluxx.uk.com.
