An Open Letter to Decision Makers
Dear business leaders,
The past 18 months or so have been… pretty bizarre. The way we work together has changed forever - in some ways for the better, in others for the worse.
People worldwide have responded with incredible grit, carrying on their jobs despite wild, complex conditions. But despite this collective resilience, more needs to be done to make life at work easier in this new normal. Here’s where decision-makers should start.
Firstly, remote or hybrid work needs to be quickly accepted as how the best businesses run. I won’t bore you with reams of statistics that show it makes people happier and more productive; we’ve all seen it before. But to anyone that continues to question the importance of freedom to work where works for you, consider those for whom mobility is a challenge. Or those who cannot afford to move to a major city for work opportunities. Or those who have care responsibilities close to their home.
Remote and hybrid work doesn’t just make us more efficient. It makes us feel more human and connected to our community. Of course, in-person collaboration has its place, but the best leaders are now properly aware of these other considerations.
Secondly, international employment law needs to be made simpler. I don’t claim to have a deep understanding of it, but hiring people across borders is too complex and expensive for the benefits it brings (reduces brain drain, creates opportunity, etc.). The world is now hyper-globalised in terms of supply chains, but talent is still too restricted according to the geographic birth lottery. Governments and international bodies should sign agreements to make it easier and allow businesses to hire people wherever they’re based.
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Work conditions also require improvement. Many who are returning to offices are expected to simply deal with close working quarters despite us still being in a pandemic. And for those that are at home, problems around dodgy wifi, non-ergonomic chairs and keyboards persist. The health and safety of employees should always be front and centre, and some employers need to prioritise it on their balance sheet.
Finally, attitudes around diversity and inclusion need updating. Remote work has shown, more than ever, that what is most important is the work people do - not where they live, what they look like, or anything else. When you work for goals and objectives, people’s work style and background stop mattering, allowing for greater inclusion, especially in terms of neurodiversity. Have you delivered the work to a good standard at the right time? Great, in which case it doesn’t matter how you got there.
If these attitudes and actions are implemented, the world of work won’t be perfect. It’s a highly dynamic space that no one person can understand completely. Still, I think a more open approach to continuing with remote work, employment law, work conditions and inclusion would be a great place to start.
Well done for getting this far,
Matt.
P.S. I’d be interested to know what other points you’d like to make to decision-makers about the future of work. Please feel free to drop me a line or leave a message in the comments section.
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3 年I would also add 3/4 day workweeks. None of that 10-hour-days BS, proper 7.5h, 3/4 days a week, same salary. Productivity has increased massively over the past couple of decades, and neither salaries nor business practices have changed. In countries and companies where it has been implemented there's been a noticeable increase in productivity, decrease in stress, and overall increase in happiness. As another point, transparent and public salaries - both during recruitment and within the company. Pay people for their skills, not because a person is good friends with the manager, or has a certain skin colour. Transparency in general is conductive to good business, however salaries are a pain point that's becoming more and more evident over the past decade or so. In short: perks and free stuff is nice, but treat people as people, show them some respect, and remember: happier staff makes for a longer lasting business
I would enhance one of your points the freedom to work from anywhere. That choice is autonomy, one of most important human drivers there is. When we feel we have a choice and in control, we thrive! Interesting point Matt about international law and hiring process. I am curious to see how full remote will impact the business world since we are not wired to build trust virtually. That's against our human nature. There is a great short video from Simon Sinek on that, and he speaks as a founder of a remote brand.