Remote Work is Here to Stay — Richa Gupta
According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey the number of people primarily working from home tripled between 2019 and 2021 due to the pandemic. In the early months, organizations were faced with rapidly ensuring that they had the appropriate technology in place to keep their operations running. Software services became essential in order to maintain contact among teams. While there is an ongoing push in some sectors to return to the office, many employees are looking for a better balance in their lives and are lobbying for more time out of the office. Add to this that global companies heavily rely on digital communication and it is clear that not only is remote work here to stay, but that technology is essential in making it function successfully.
In March, I wrote an article for SIA’s The Staffing Stream entitled “The Future of Work Is Now, and It Relies on Technology.” In it, I posed the question, “How can employers balance the realities of rapidly changing workplace culture with employee expectations?” Here are a few conclusions:
“Establish trust. For organizations that have struggled with changing workplace culture in general and remote work in particular, the problems often center around trust. Some leaders cite accountability or performance as a reason for limiting or rejecting remote work. Instead, they prefer a traditional environment where physical proximity means they retain complete control.”
“In contrast, digital-first organizations are setting the standard for progressive employment. Back in 2020, many well-known brands were committing to the “new normal” for the long term, fully appreciative they would need to build trust in processes that were still a work in progress.”
“Invest in empathy. Increasingly, the top success factor for contemporary leaders is empathy. This is a quality exemplified by people who show the will and patience required to listen and understand vulnerabilities experienced by others and positively connect with them emotionally.”
“Embrace flexible technologies. In a remote, digitally transformed and connected world, the unifier is the adoption of effective technologies. Using them to bridge communication and collaboration gaps between people has been one of the positive workplace trends to emerge recently. Looking ahead, organizations must raise their game further to help remote teams to flourish.”
“Step up on Diversity, Equality and Inclusion. While organizations everywhere are acting on the need to address societal and workplace DEI weaknesses, many others are paying little more than lip service. The issues are highly nuanced, but those that view DEI as an opportunity and an obligation will realize the undoubted benefits of workplace diversity.”
“At a time when skills shortages are becoming a serious impediment to growth, the era of the truly international workforce has arrived. But remember, organizations must live and breathe this ethos. For those who have got only as far as creating a page on their website or including DEI as a section in their annual report, it’s time to step up.”
To read the full article in The Staffing Stream click here
About Richa Gupta: For the last two decades, Richa has helped organizations create and unlock their Talent practices, build strong global companies with a purpose and high-performing teams, curate workplaces for talent to thrive, and develop strong and empathetic leadership muscle. As Chief Human Resource Officer at Globalization Partners, she is leading all facets of their global workforce, while playing a key strategic role in scaling the company and culture to meet the surging demands of remote work across the globe.
