The future of work? At LIXIL, we’re already living it

Monica Farley, MA, SHRM-SCP , Leader, HR Commercial, LIXIL Americas

I’m watching with interest as more and more of my former colleagues are being called back to the office.

“Collaboration”, they’ve been told.

“The culture and energy have been suffering.”

“You just can’t manage from afar.”

But the reality is quite different.?

They are in a shared physical space - but on Zoom calls because so many of their colleagues sit around the world.

Folks swiping badges, then leaving so that they get credit for a day in the office.

Employees stressed because balancing professional and personal just got a bit more complicated.

It makes me wonder why the culture that has worked so well for several years is now being questioned.

Fortunately, my work life remains status quo. I’ll continue to enjoy the advantages of a flexible work arrangement and I believe that should be the future of work.

I work for a company that makes products used by people in every corner of the globe, in every time zone, by people speaking dozens of languages.

We’re proudly diverse – in the way that we learn, in the way that we work and in the way that we live our lives. And we embrace that diversity everyday.

No one is left behind. Everyone is included. Everyone works in the best way they can.

And shouldn’t it be that way? It seems counterintuitive to define ourselves by a single, geographical location.

Because when you empower employees to do their best work, however and wherever they see fit, ideas and untapped talent rise to the surface.

And your organization becomes more accommodating and representative of the communities in which they operate.

The latest World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report shows that more than a fifth of organizations believe flexible working across geographies is essential to securing the right skills. We’ve certainly found that here at LIXIL.

And when a company defines itself by how many employees show up each day to the office – they are probably not seeing the whole picture.

Because maybe the best recruit is sitting in a location across the country. By expanding your geographic reach, you can open up your talent pool in ways that we never thought possible several years ago.

But flexible working is about more than recruiting new talent.

At its heart, this approach is all about building mutual respect between an organization and the people who work here. We call it “owning your own day.”

It all begins with trust.

Trusting that our employees know their deadlines and how to balance their workload to reach those dates.

Trusting that we judge each other by outcome rather than facetime.

Trusting each other to get the job done.

Trusting that we’ll do the right thing – for the organization and each other.

Trusting each other to decide where and when is best for them to work.

And trust works both ways. A study by Deloitte last year found that 79% of employees who trust their employer are more motivated to work – and less likely to leave.

Because, in the end, it’s all about people. Ensuring employees feel comfortable, included, and happy with the decisions they are making in their career and personal lives.

Breaking down boundaries to collaborate better and get ideas from all over the world.

What’s it all mean?

Don’t get me wrong. There are times when face-to-face is the best option to get things done.

That’s when I get on a plane to visit colleagues in my region or across the world.

That’s when I go to an office space and set up a meeting to hash out logistics.

Sometimes it’s mandatory but many times these decisions are left largely up to me.

I’m the keeper of my schedule – balancing family and work time, carving out time for wellness and planning my schedule.

I will occasionally attend meetings that are late at night or early in the morning.?

And hey - that’s part of working for a global organization.

On those days, I may start a little later, end my day a bit sooner or even fit in an afternoon walk.? As long as I am available for scheduled activities and meetings, I know I am trusted to get the job done.

I’m perplexed why a physical office space remains more important than outcomes.

Today’s digital world allows us to create our own “offices” and wellness offerings – using tools that give us the opportunity to connect and communicate in ways we wouldn’t have been able to before.

These digital offices blurred the line between professional and personal. Dogs, children and lawnmowers often provide some unwanted background noise.

But we’ve become more tolerant and more empathetic about the day-to-day goings on of our colleagues.

And when our colleagues feel seen and heard – the business results usually follow.

I can’t say this approach is for everyone. It takes the right leadership to be able to let go of the day-to-day.

But isn’t that the type of leadership every organization needs to move us forward?

Because letting employees lead and empowering them to succeed will always be best for our business.

#RemoteWorking #FlexibleWorkingHours #EmployeeEmpowerment #EmployeeEngagement #WorkCulture #Trust