Scapegoating Hybrid Work?

Cultivating a Unified Culture that promotes collaboration in hybrid work

In the pre-COVID era, seamless collaboration across functions wasn't a universal success story. Reflecting on the past year, my team and I have partnered & consulted with a diverse range of clients to pinpoint and map out their future in terms of organisational culture and employee value proposition. A recurring theme has emerged, collaboration is consistently one of the lowest scoring elements of culture. When we ask why, hybrid or flexible working is often blamed, especially where cross-functional collaboration is concerned. But is this truly a new hurdle introduced by hybrid working? Even back in 2019, a prominent Human Capital trends report revealed that few organisations considered themselves very effective at managing cross-functional teams. Clearly, the struggle with cross-functional collaboration predates our current work models.

Hybrid working has indeed introduced a new dynamic, but it's a stretch to call it the root cause of collaboration challenges. Forcing employees back to the office under the banner of collaboration is a gamble that could backfire, particularly given the increased autonomy employees now expect. A McKinsey report highlighted that individuals from underrepresented groups were more likely to leave if hybrid working options were withdrawn. In another recent survey, 64% of employees reported that going back to the office would have a negative impact on their health. Flexible and hybrid working models have been instrumental in fostering more inclusive and diverse workforces. They represent an opportunity to be harnessed, not a scapegoat for deeper issues.

To truly enhance collaboration, we must recognise that it rests on multiple pillars. While optimising hybrid working is crucial, my experiences lead me to believe that the persistent issues affecting collaboration are often deeply rooted in organisational culture, capabilities, and leadership vision.

So, what can organisations do to boost collaboration through their organisational culture effectively? (I acknowledge that technologies and processes play a key role in enabling collaboration, however this article aims to look at the cultural, behavioural and skill enablers of better collaboration). Here are my personal insights and thoughts :

Unifying Culture and Values: Is collaboration a clear part of your corporate ethos? Are collaborative efforts recognised and rewarded within performance and talent management processes? Without articulation as a core value, demonstrated by leadership, and reinforced through recognition, the environment for collaboration will struggle to flourish. According to Gartner's 'Top 5 Priorities for HR Leaders in 2024,' a culture of connectedness can increase by up to 43% when it is actively diffused through work.

Developing Collaborative Skills: Collaboration is a skill, not an innate ability for many. Investing in the development of these skills and harnessing the natural collaborative talents within your organisation can significantly enhance connection and cooperation. Collaboration skills go beyond communication, it also requires employees to be empathetic, capable of conflict management, be highly adaptable and strong problem solvers. As explored in the Harvard Business Review's 'Performance Management Shouldn’t Kill Collaboration,' companies that invest in collaborative skills see a 17% improvement in financial results and a 34% increase in annual revenue. Alarmingly, a recent piece of research conducted by Deb Mashek revealed that only 26% of employees had received more than a couple of hours of dedicated professional development on collaboration skills. ?As outlined already, it’s a skill worth investing in.

Leadership Vision and Leading by Example: Leadership vision is pivotal, according to a survey by the Harvard Business Review, companies whose employees understand the vision are twice as likely to be top performers. Leaders must embody the values they wish to see, setting the standard for the rest of the organisation to follow. They should actively engage with different business units, celebrate collaborative successes, and foster a trusting environment. Paul J. Zak, a well renowned Harvard researcher conducted 2 decades of research on the neuroscience of trust and found that "compared with people at low-trust companies, people at high-trust companies report 74% less stress, 106% more energy at work, 50% higher productivity, 13% fewer sick days, 76% more engagement, 29% more satisfaction with their lives, and 40% less burnout."

Cross-Functional Teams and Communities: Establishing firm-wide groups and communities of practice can significantly improve learning, knowledge sharing, and collaboration. Cross-functional project teams can expand networks, build trust, and expose employees to new ideas and perspectives. The HRB article 'Performance Management Shouldn’t Kill Collaboration' notes that new hires who engage in cross-functional projects are at least 65% more likely to stay and become productive.

Optimising Hybrid Working: Be strategic about in-office activities that promote collaboration, such as brainstorming sessions and innovation meetings. Embrace new tools and technology that facilitate collaborative work, regardless of location. My colleague Zolt Szelecki has written an interesting piece on designing hybrid working around the Ikigai philosophy, performing work in the office that provide opportunities for inspiration, socialisation, education and collaboration. Designing hybrid work – four principles and four recommendations | LinkedIn.

To make the most immediate impact, begin by examining your culture and values. This can be done effectively through a culture assessment, utilising a range of employee listening inputs to understand your current culture, desired culture and the associated gap. The outputs should help you identify enablers of a collaborative culture and where work is required to enhance collaboration. If you’ve already done this, consider co-creation activities with employees to see how you can embed a culture of connectedness in the workplace. Involving employees in the journey of change can enhance advocacy and the activity itself creates opportunity for collaboration.

Creating a collaborative culture is not just about stating the importance of collaboration it's about how these behaviours are integrated, promoted, and reinforced throughout your organisation.

Remember, while culture and leadership form the bedrock of a collaborative environment, trust is the linchpin that holds it all together.. Without it, even the most well-intentioned strategies can falter. As we navigate the complexities of our evolving work models, let's focus on building trust and fostering a culture where collaboration can truly thrive.

Please visit our website for more insights on how BDO are helping organisations navigate their most pressing People challenges. People Advisory | Workforce | - BDO

Join us on June 27th as we delve into the pivotal role of trust in fostering a healthy organisational culture and learn practical approaches to rebuild trust among employees and candidates.

Bridging the Gap: Trust, Culture, and Hybrid Work Dynamics Tickets, Thu 27 Jun 2024 at 08:00 | Eventbrite

?#HybridWork #Collaboration #OrganisationalCulture #Trust #Leadership

Sources:

"Deloitte Human Capital Trends Report 2019".

"Hybrid Work: Making It Fit With Your Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategy" – McKinsey Quarterly, Drew Goldstein, Michael ark and Holly Price, April 2022.

"Gartner HR Top Priorities E-Book – 2024".

"The Future of Work in 2023" – Korn Ferry.

"Performance Management Shouldn’t Kill Collaboration (hbr.org)" – Harvard Business Review (hbr.org). Heidi K. Gardner and Ivan Matviak, September-October 2022.

“Why Are We Here? (hbr.org)” – Harvard Business Review. Sally Blount and Paul Leinwand, November-December 2019.

“The Neuroscience of Trust (hbr.org)” - ?Harvard Business Review. Paul J. Zak, January – February 2017.

SMIT Sloan Management? Review – “Collaboration is a key skill. So why aren’t we teaching it?” Deb Mashek, June 23, 2002.