Part I: Putting Things in Perspective
David S. Cohen
LinkedIn Top Voices in Culture Change | Senior Consultant | Leadership, Organizational Behaviour, Talent Management | Keynote Speaker | Author
Disruption has been around for a long time. Things are not static for long. The term VUCA was co-opted from the military at the turn of the last century. It became a trendy managerial acronym: short for volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity – a catchall for “everything disruptive!” Eventually, even VUCA has come to be considered normal. We have been facing and managing a continuous disruption for the last 15 months (and still going strong).
The confluence of events, COVID-19, the Great Resignation, Cyber-attacks, climate change and heightened sensitivity to diversity and inclusions, has led to a sudden shortage of people to fill frontline roles. These massive changes are taking leaders to new heights of anxiety and uncertainty. All these elements create a convergence that leaves many wondering: what’s next?
Then why are some predicting an abundant talent market post-COVID? Some employees have relished and thrived in these conditions that allow work remotely. The realization that one can work remotely enables the employee to relocate outside major metropolitan areas. When working in the physical office returns, will these people be required to be physically present?
The consequences of people moving out of urban areas have also increased the need to retain critical staff while simultaneously bringing on new employees. Begging the question, will employees who relocate to more affordable communities thousands of miles away be able to afford to return to the office even once a month?
Will those who are relatively close geographically wish to return and experience the two-hour commute, even once or twice a week? People have learned that they can control many more aspects of their lives than previously believed; employees suddenly find themselves holding more power and leverage. Will all this culminate in large real-life musical chairs? In short, is working from home a pandemic thing, or is it the future of how most people, who have the option, will desire to work? I believe it is indeed a new reality.
Can One Acculturate Long Distance to the Corporate Culture?
When I speak with those in leadership roles, among the first questions asked is how to build the capability for cultural continuity. It is hard enough, they say, to have all employees acculturate to the company when they are physically present. How can a company onboard people to understand the nuances of the “right way” of acting from a distance? If the company has always been successful through genuine teamwork and innovation, is physical attendance at the office a necessity? Can teamwork and open exchange of ideas flourish from a distance?
A Google Search found 6,000,000 ideas on Onboarding new remote employees. Getting your new employee up and running, setting an objective, introductions to team members and other critical touchpoints are not integrated into the organization’s culture.
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Remember, culture is how we do things around here when no one is looking. The source of the behaviours that define success is rooted in the authentic values both leaders and employees have come to learn as the correct way of getting along within the company.
Why is this so important? According to the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), Labour in the U.S., approximately 25% of all workers change jobs every year during pre-pandemic times. However, of those changes, 31% are new employees leaving within the first six months of starting a job. A startling 68% of new people leave a job within the first three months, and a shocking 4% leave after the first day! In many cases, this turnover is due to a poor onboarding experience.1
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[1] From Onboarding in a Box by LinkedIn Talent Solutions and Onboarding New Employees, Maximizing Success SHRM, both undated.
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About David Cohen
David’s insights and advice on organizational behaviour and how culture impacts each moment of the employee experience helps positively affect the execution of the strategy and the interactions with customers. His challenging and thoughtful questions help leaders and employees understand the power of behaviours in the workplace. In addition, David helps companies find their unique expression of the essential behaviours that differentiate their culture from other companies. David has helped leaders on five continents.
Recently the GlobalGurusTop30 recognized David as one of the top 30 thinkers on organizational culture. David is also a member of Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches.
Visit www.sagltd.com for more information.
Transforming Teams and Leaders into Powerhouses of Connection and Performance | Keynote Speaker | Leadership & Management Development Programs | Executive & Team Coach | Author of 3 Award-Winning Books
3 年You raise important questions that my team and I are also supporting the leaders we work with to think through. When there is no one 'mothership' where the heart of the business resides and instead hundreds of kitchen tables etc culture starts to fragment. At least that is what my clients are sharing. Like John Brewer shares below, we've turned the focus to nurturing the sense of team and connection, not just with my immediate team mates, but also ensure there is an intentionality in maintaining connections across the organization, those vital horizontal relationships that if allowed to wither will result in the silos and turfwars that further slow down innovation and collaboration. There is no one right answer, other than a mindful and intentional dialogue that allows leaders at all levels to adapt to the hybrid workplace. I look forward to learning from you and the ongoing research in this area
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3 年Great insights as always. One thing I’d add (and yes if the only tool you have is a hammer....) one of the side effects of the move to remote work has been to create a far more conscious focus on connection. This is true from an employee perspective - I’m at home, relatively isolated work wise and socially so how can I maintain connections (and avoid loneliness with all the negative health impacts that creates) Also true for the employer - how do I maintain engagement, create a great experience, sustain innovation? And what ultimately is the value of in person contact? No surprise then that I see many in the culture space shift their attention to community. Yes culture is how we do things. Yes culture is our shared values. But there is no culture without connection. Try and imagine a culture divorced from a community. For an example look at what Southgate is doing with the England soccer team. His focus is on having the players support one another. He wants to create cohesion - and is doing this while celebrating diversity and practicing inclusion.