When the workplace is no longer just one place

Forward-thinking HR teams are setting their organizations up for success by facilitating a mindset shift to “work from wherever, whenever.”

To drive home the culture of performance, it is key to look at HR policies in a new light, focusing on ways to build trust, increase flexibility, and support employee enablement. (Photo: Shutterstock)

There’s a mindset shift that is taking place in workplaces worldwide. For businesses that require in-person interaction, coming to grips with the effects of the pandemic is about returning to some form of “normal.” But for the tech sector and other industries that don’t need everyone under the same roof to get work done, the “workplace” is no longer just one place.

Employees understand this after years of maintaining high productivity levels from their kitchen tables or home offices. In fact, according to a recent report from global talent mobility company Topia, 94% of employees agree that they should be able to work from anywhere, so long as they get their work done. Trend-setting tech companies understand it too, which is why many are offering “work from home forever” or hybrid policies to keep valuable employees on board. And forward-thinking HR teams are setting their organizations up for success by facilitating a mindset shift to a “work from wherever, whenever” strategy designed for our current world.

Related: How remote work is redefining employee visibility

The question many HR professionals are now confronting is how to support their organizations as they make this transition. My company, Unit4, was already evolving toward a less structured, more flexible framework even before the pandemic, but COVID-19 accelerated the change. We found that defining new workplace principles and providing support for employees and managers to make the transition was a game-changer. Here’s an overview of what we learned.

Creating and communicating a new definition of work

When reconfiguring the workplace to a more flexible model, companies should prioritize giving their employees the tools and support needed to focus on what matters most to get the best results for their customers. Work is about adding value, not showing up at a specific place and time. To drive home the culture of performance, it is key to look at HR policies in a new light, focusing on ways to build trust, increase flexibility, and support employee enablement.

Companies can move in this direction with a flexible work schedule and an emphasis on employee achievements rather than hours worked or office time. At Unit4, our work program gives employees the freedom to choose where and when it best suits them to get the work done. It is important for us to emphasize that employees can make work, work for them. This may look like a mid-afternoon break to bring their child to T-ball practice and finish up a project afterward. In other words, whenever, wherever, that best suits the needs of our employees, customers, and business.

As part of this, we gave employees branded planners to drive home the point that they are in charge of their own schedule. This helped make it clear that coming to the office was for tasks that require collaboration, not for mundane work like answering emails or returning phone calls. Simple actions like this can help aid in the mindset shift that the workplace can be wherever works best for employees.

Helping employees and managers make the shift

The response to our “wherever, whenever” mindset has been incredibly positive. We are at the point where we’ve empowered our employees to embrace this mindset and other organizations can do the same.

People will progress at their own pace, of course. For example, the staff in one location particularly enjoyed the camaraderie of working in close proximity, so they weren’t as eager as others to work away from the office. But they soon understood that flexibility applied to both the group and individuals. Companies can make it clear that scheduling lunches, coffee shop meetings, etc., to come together outside of the office is a different option that still adds flexibility for team members.

In addition, organizations should consider providing additional support and training to managers, helping them assist their teams by recognizing when structure holds people back. For our team, this support included technology and data resources to help build leadership trust in employee productivity. We also encouraged managers to “walk the talk” by embracing flexible work themselves and maintaining a healthy work-life balance as an example.

Focusing on what matters most

It may seem like a daunting challenge to redefine work and help the workforce transition to a new way of doing their jobs. This absolutely takes buy-in from leadership, with planning and support from HR, and a strong commitment on the part of managers to make it work. It also requires a deep understanding of your organization, its current state, competitive position and growth goals.

But when you successfully make this transition, you’ll ultimately be in a better position to fulfill those growth goals because your people will be focusing on what matters most, which is creating value for your customers. So, while a “work from wherever, whenever” approach is a great way for your company to improve the employee experience, it’s also the best way to improve the customer experience too. That’s what happens when “the workplace” is no longer just one place.

Lisa-Moné Lamontagne is people success leader for North America at Unit4.


Read more: