Weekly Roundup #8: The Hybrid battleground.

The big boys are at it again. I read an article recently published by the BBC , where the CEOs of the giants like Google, Amazon, Netflix, and even Zoom (no hypocrisy there)! want employees to follow at least a 3-day in-office program or come to the office on all 5 days, and these big companies are believed to set a precedent for the smaller companies in the long run.

In this edition of the Adappt chronicle, we will be taking an in-depth look at what is going on in the tug-of-war between employee and employer over the freedom to work and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

But before we do.

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Let's look at a few Stats

• 80% of companies are planning to adopt a hybrid work model in the next 5 years.
• Employees who work remotely at least once per month are 24% more likely to feel happy and productive in their roles than those who don’t.
• More than 78% of employees believe hybrid and remote working has improved all aspects of well-being, enabling employees to care for their whole selves in their roles at work and outside of work.
• 57% of remote employees consider shifting to hybrid.
• 63% of high-growth organizations employ hybrid work models.
• 44% of U.S. employees prefer a hybrid work model, compared to 51% of employers.?
• 56% of hiring managers believe that hybrid work arrangements will become the norm in the future.
• In the United States, respondents were 23% less likely than the global average to work remotely at least one day per week.
• Employers are investing in hybrid working technologies : 72% of businesses are investing in new technology to facilitate remote work, such as collaboration tools and virtual meeting software.

This brings us to a very important diagram.

Let me elaborate.

93% of today's workforce comprises baby boomers (born 1946–1964, 57 to 75 years of age), Millenials (born 1965–1980, 41 to 56 years of age), and Gen X'ers ((born 1981–1996, 25 to 40 years of age).

1. Fixed: These are employees who are happy to be done with remote work during the pandemic and are back to working at the office without any complaints. The demographics of Fixed employees consist primarily of baby boomers, Gen X'ers, and a few millennials who feel that the office is the best place to do and leave work where it belongs.
2. Flexible: These are employees who love to work in a hybrid setting, they don't mind coming into the office at most 3 days a week, and they like their solitude, but at the same time like being acknowledged for their work through physical team meetings, face-to-face interactions and so on. The demographics of flexible employees basically consist of a large portion of millennials, and Gen Z'ers.
3. Remote: These are employees who love working whenever, and wherever. Their prime focus is on getting the tasks they are assigned, completed. They do not want to engage in a hybrid or fixed workplace policy and they believe in maintaining an excellent workplace balance by working from home only. The large majority of remote employees make up the Gen Z'ers, and since they have grown up with technology, it is very easy for them to navigate through the remote era.
4. Persistent: These are employees who primarily belong to the hybrid and remote mode of work and they are defiant in maintaining that structure for themselves within the organization. For these employees, changing the rules is not an option and they would be willing to give up their job no matter how lucrative it is to flee to greener pastures that offer them the workplace that they desire. The people in this group mostly comprise people from senior management and C-level executives who can easily find a job at high-growth startups that require their expertise.

So in short, to have the ideal workplace these 4 forces must align, which is extremely unlikely, but organizations must always strive for.

If you'd like to read more "What different workforce generations expect in an office space?" read this fantastic article published by Rucha Bindu Sane here .

Factors that can take you to the right workplace

The thinking has to change and here are a few factors that I think can really help build an inclusive workplace.

1. Do not give in to the rhetoric: In the same BBC article it said Meta's new 'In-Person Time Policy ' starts on September 5, tracking card swipes; non-compliance may lead to termination. This should not be the case. Understand your organization's requirements and conduct a joint assessment with the employees about their work preferences and then do a decision audit with the senior management to decide who needs to be truly "fixed", "hybrid" and "remote".
2. Understand your space: With global commercial real estate soaring to $34 trillion in 2020, right around the time that the pandemic started, major companies had already invested big into their real estate portfolio. I get it, it is a big investment and if there are no employees using your space, it isn't of any use. The way to navigate around this problem is to understand how your spaces are being used. If the majority of your workspace can work hybrid or remotely, it may be time to - Reduce the amount of office space: This could involve subletting unused space, selling or leasing back unused buildings, or even consolidating offices into fewer locations. Redesigning offices to be more flexible: This can help to make offices more efficient and productive. Deploy reliable and advanced workspace sensors to study your space and make data-driven decisions about your global real estate portfolio based on it.
3. Make technology a constant: As the late great Steve Jobs once said "Technology is best when it brings people together." and it will remain true till the end of humanity. Investing in good hybrid workspace technology, collaboration software, video and audio tools, visitor management systems, green mobility systems, workspace sensors, and anything to make the journey of growth for your employees more organic will help you retain them and at the same time want them to come back to the office. The Taco Tuesdays or Free Bagel Wednesdays are not going to cut it anymore.
4. Performance and Productivity: In a survey conducted by Fast Company, a group of 478 employees across the spectrum of millennials, boomers, and Gen Z'ers, they found that 59% of the survey say that performance and productivity are linked to the place they work from, 39% said they are not linked to the place they work from and the rest 2% said it doesn't make a difference wither way. From this, I can infer that a majority of the people surveyed find a correlation between the work they do and where they do it, so organizations have to be mindful of this when they future-proof their workspaces.
5. Equivalence: In the same BBC article I read Amazon CEO Andy Jassy told employees who didn't want to comply with the RTO guidelines that "it's probably not going to work out for you at Amazon because we are going back to the office at least three days a week”. I've read other reports of senior-level management penalizing remote and flexible employees by not giving them their fair share of recognition, incentives, bonuses, awards, and efforts. This should not be. The growth of an organization lies with its employees and companies that fail to recognize this will lose in the long run. If an employee is innovative, collaborative, and goal-oriented then they should be nurtured no matter where or how they work. They should be treated fairly, and their choices must be respected. Senior and C-level teams can do an in-depth analysis of business units that need to be fixed, hybrid, or remote and allow the freedom within each business unit for employees who can get their work done from anywhere and their accomplishments recognized.

Bottom Line

As leaders plan for people to return to the office, they must consider who will actively or passively oppose the move, who will be neutral, and who will actively or passively support the return. One way to see who’s who and how best to address their concerns to rebuild the in-person office is through the lens of generations. If both sides don't let go of the rope, nobody's going to win.

In other news...

G20 commits to achieving net zero emissions by mid-century

The G20 summit being hosted by India at the nation's capitol New Delhi is bringing India to the world stage like never before. With ambition, vigour, and new thinking, it is propelling India as an alliance the world cannot ignore.

One of the most pressing issues like always is the climate and the G20 summit is tackling it head-on.

In a landmark consensus declaration adopted after resolving differences, the G20 member states, responsible for around 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions, have made a resolute commitment to addressing climate change.

?? Net Zero Emissions by Mid-Century

G20 nations have pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by mid-century, marking a significant step towards combating climate change. This commitment sends a powerful message about the urgency of our climate crisis.

??? Staying on Course with the Paris Agreement

The G20 recognizes that our current efforts to address climate change fall short of achieving the goals set in the Paris Agreement. Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius requires substantial reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions.

?? Tripling Renewable Energy Capacity

One of the most promising developments is the commitment to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030. This move promises a transformative shift in our energy landscape and brings us closer to a sustainable future.

?? Mainstreaming Sustainable Lifestyles

The G20 acknowledges the importance of sustainable living and commits to implementing high-level principles on lifestyles and sustainable development. This includes the launch of "Travel for Life" for smarter and greener travel.

?? Clean Energy Transition and Phasing Out Fossil Fuels

G20 states are focusing on transitioning to low-carbon energy systems, emphasizing clean power generation and energy efficiency while working towards the phase-down of unabated coal use. While the declaration is ambitious, some have noted the need for clearer statements on phasing out fossil fuels.

?? Climate Finance and Support for Developing Nations

Developed countries have pledged to meet the $100 billion goal for climate finance this year. Additionally, there's recognition of the financial needs of developing countries to implement their climate commitments and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

??? NDC Alignment Deadline

The G20 urges all countries that have not aligned their climate targets with the Paris Agreement's goals to revisit and strengthen their 2030 targets by the end of 2023.

?? Our Take

The G20's commitment to net-zero emissions by mid-century and the tripling of renewable energy capacity by 2030 are significant steps toward addressing climate change. However, some stakeholders are calling for even more ambitious action, particularly in phasing out fossil fuels.

That's it for this week of the Adappt Chronicle! Tune in next week when we look at the latest in the world of work, IoT, and building intelligence.

Quote of the week- "We can't consume our way to a more sustainable world"