‘The Great Resignation’ is the latest buzz phrase in today’s shape-shifting working world.
Also called the ‘Big Quit’, and the ‘Great Reshuffle’, this new jargon is being used to describe the extraordinary dynamic that has turned the tables on the modern workplace – and shown clearly that employers no longer hold the power.
In a new eBook produced in conjunction with digital research, analysis and advisory company Ecosystm, we look at the importance of listening to your employees – and the consequences of not doing so.
The humanization of the workplace
With an increasing number of white-collar workers working remotely, there’s no longer a clear delineation between work and life. While this does come with its own challenges, it has given workers the power to reconsider what work situation works best for them.
The ability to be able to pick the kids up from school when needed, walk the dog at midday, or prepare an evening meal while on a conference call has added an unprecedented level of humanity to the workplace.
It has enabled workers to feel as though they’re no longer trapped in a hamster-wheel of work at the expense of their family and personal wellbeing.
Watch our webinar
‘People and Experience in the Hybrid Workplace’
The demand for greater flexibility
In the post-COVID economy, workplace flexibility wields more power than monetary remuneration, and workers are willing to resign over it. It’s imperative for organizations to offer their employees options with it comes to their work locations and hours.
To provide this flexibility, organizations today will need to:
- Redesign the physical workplace to cater to the hybrid work model
- Ensure employees have a consistent experience irrespective of their location
- Ensure IT teams can manage the challenges that come bundled with the new workplace
Employees want customized workspaces
Offices today will need to be remastered, as all employees will not always be in the office. They may come in for specific brainstorming sessions or training, but the ‘cubicle’ style workplace is no longer feasible. Instead, offices today need to be re-designed to have:
A world of multiple collaboration platforms
Ecosystm’s research shows that only 22% of organizations use just one collaboration platform. Instead, employees tend to want to shift between platforms based on preferences and on the nature of the interaction.
For example, Microsoft Teams for internal collaboration, Zoom for presentations, Webex and Google Meet for other needs. While this communication flexibility is what employees want, connectivity and network challenges have become an ongoing problem.
Even after more than two years of remote working, 35% of employees see poor connectivity and network issues as hindrances in their working dynamic.
Why performance management and monitoring is crucial
Hybrid working has presented all manner of new challenges for technology teams. They can mitigate these challenges by implementing some strategies that can solve the ongoing issues:
Security vs user experience
As cyber-criminals relish the opportunities to take advantage of the disruptions caused by COVID, security has become a top concern for organizations. But at the same time, they must ensure that the security measures put in place don’t impact user experience.
The real benefits of listening to your employees
Employees who know they are being heard are more engaged and productive. By not listening to employees, organizations are missing out on opportunities to innovate, improve efficiencies and serve customers.
If you want your workers to take a more active role in your business, you need to listen to what they say. The number one reason employees don’t take more initiative or lack motivation at work is that their leaders fail to receive their input before making decisions.
Listening to what employees want versus what they current receive can drive engagement and productivity, attract talent and foster an overall positive workplace culture.
