Five steps to creating a post-pandemic workplace
While remote work was already on the rise, the COVID-19 crisis accelerated the process considerably, prompting many people to ask exactly what their jobs will look like in a post-pandemic world.
We’ve pulled together data and predictions from WeWork, Deloitte and McKinsey to identify the characteristics of companies already embracing the remote post-pandemic workplace and turning it to their advantage.
05: Subsidise Workers’ Connectivity
If employees working remotely do their work on an internet connection that they pay for, they are subsidising your company. In a remote work world, companies that subsidise their employees’ internet bills like they would provide a gym membership, work laptop, or a weekly breakfast for the office will attract better talent and stand out from the competition.
04: Use the Right Tools
As workforces go remote, it can be very tempting to integrate a handful of communication, productivity and sales tools.The result is often money down the drain and a confused or annoyed workforce. Choose the right tool, collect feedback from your employees, and learn to leverage it to its maximum potential.
03: Encouraging Employees to Set Boundaries
Finding the right work-life balance was already a nightmare, frankly, when our jobs were done in a different building to the one we slept in. Remote-native companies like Buffer have found that encouraging employees to set firm boundaries and take regular breaks results in higher motivation and less burnout.
02: Small Teams and Accountable Roles
Organisations that created new forums and structures, or redesigned existing ones were also found to have done well over the past year. Daily catch-up sessions between immediate teams, rather than weekly departmental meetings, for example, help staff adapt and change tack on a dime.
01: Communication is Everything
The avenues through which we communicate with our colleagues and superiors are very different when working online. It seems obvious, but ensuring that clear and open lines of communication are established is the difference between sinking and swimming. Experts at McKinsey add that, for companies, establishing a clear purpose and communicating it to employees can make a big difference.
