Hard at work or hardly working? How Slack thinks we can win at WFH.

Part Three of our spotlight on WFH.

Stephenson Harwood's decision to cut salaries by 20% for permanent home workers got a big thumbs down on social media with many people objecting to being paid less for doing the same job as office-based peers. We're taking that as a (big) employee brand fail ...

We've found that companies without fair, solid WFH practices are at a significant disadvantage when it comes to hiring talent.

So just how do you get a WFH policy that works for everyone?

First off, a bit of organisational self-analysis is needed.?Where are you at? Is your culture quite authoritarian with a preference for 'eyes on/hands on' management, or do you lean more towards autonomy, trusting employees to get on with it?

Authoritarian organisations have probably struggled most with the idea of WFH due to a loss of control, while some 'employee led' companies initially found it easier to adapt to WFA, but are report issues with embedding new talent into their culture.

One size doesn't fit all so striking the right balance is key.

Employees have very different needs at different life stages. ?For example, Generation Lab found that 40% students and recent graduates prefer the idea of being in the office full time.

Stands to reason, right??They have the most to learn and might actually benefit from a (slightly) more structured, authoritarian approach, as well as an opportunity to soak up the working culture.

Fast forward a few years though, and employee needs can look very different.?Child-care and work/life balance may now be more of a priority and WFH a more satisfying option overall.

In a recent survey, Slack found that a whopping 12% of employees don’t want to return to the office full time.

And, with a smorgasbord of options now available to them (basically anywhere with a compatible time zone!), they probably don’t need to …

So how do you mesh people with different skills, life stages, and demands together AND make them all want to stay? ?

Let’s be clear, this is not a new problem.?

It’s never been exactly easy, it’s just that physical location has made things a tad more complicated …

Once again, Slack has something interesting to say.?In its analysis it came up with 5 key elements to focus on:

1. ?Productivity:?the ability to complete tasks efficiently while delivering a high quality of work.?
2. Work-life balance:?the fluidity between priorities in work and personal life
3. Managing work-related stress and anxiety:?the ability to manage pressure and worry in the virtual workplace
4. Sense of belonging:?a measure of whether knowledge workers feel accepted and valued by others on their work team
5. Satisfaction with working arrangement:?the perception of the infrastructure and support that underpins their remote work experience

So how do we achieve this?

First, work out your employee mix. What groups of employees exist, what needs do they have, how are those needs being met and where are the gaps? You can do this by:

1. Asking your employees!?This is a bottom up/top down kind of a thing.?Rather than imposing solutions you think might work, ask employees what they want and need and give them a hand in designing solutions. As well as pointing you in the right direction, this builds trust, engagement, and makes them far more invested in a future with the company. Reporting back your findings also helps them to tune in to each others perspectives, great for teambuilding!
2. Get smart with the tech. Slack found that companies who were early adopters of WFH tech were significantly better able to close the gaps, create team spirit and a foster sense of belonging than those that didn't.
3. Upskill managers. ?As the glue that holds the whole thing together, the evolved WFH manager is one with the tools to measure and maintain productivity, the infrastructure to lead and develop disparate, hybrid teams, and the coaching skills to be able to check in, recognise and adapt to the emotional needs of team members. They can’t do all of this in isolation though, your entire culture may need to shift its policies on everything from hiring to retention and rewards.?

Ultimately, the key is to empower your employees and colleagues to manage their own time and office attendance through a hybrid model that works for them because this creates buy in, loyalty, trust and (drum roll....) retention!

WFA is a powerful opportunity for employers to create a true, meaningful people first culture where employees don't have to compromise on what matters to them most to achieve work goals.

It seems clear that whatever your view, WFH is here to stay.? Speak to us and find out how you can turn it to your advantage!?:)