Navigating Hybrid Work Policies in a Post Pandemic workforce

Colleagues, 

I found this article, If You Thought Working From Home Was Messy, Here Comes Hybrid Work fascinating. The article highlights the complexity of navigating flexible work schedules from employees. From the article...

“The workforce of the future isn’t going to come in to go crank a spreadsheet. You’ll crank a spreadsheet at home just fine,” Mr. Williams says. “You’re coming in to be able to collaborate with your team, work on projects, do brainstorming, be a part of our R&D engine.”

What does this mean for our programs? Are you considering remote / hybrid options for staff?

  • If yes, share with us how that will be set up. 
  • If no, how are your colleagues responding to back to work policies? 

What does this mean for the future of work? From the article... 

... Chief Executive Mark Herrington says he is eager for office life to return to normal, but a number of applicants, particularly in technical and engineering roles, have insisted on having the option to work from home at least some of the time.

“It’s become really sort of a requirement if you’re looking for top talent,” Mr. Herrington says. “Those folks are pretty much saying, ‘Hey, if I can’t have a bit of a hybrid work environment, then I’m probably not going to be interested.’”

Research has shown that most employees prefer some form of flexibility in where they work. An upcoming survey of 9,000 workers by Accenture PLC found 83% of respondents viewed a hybrid workplace as optimal, which means companies need to figure out the new mores of work, and fast.

Follow this conversation through the month of June as we will discuss the return to work and what that looks like. I'm looking forward to the shared conversations. 

Sincerely, 
Kathy Tracey
@Kathy_Tracey 

Comments

In the continuation of this series, let's look at the anxiety many people are facing as they return to work. Tips for leaders include: 

... if you are a people leader there are some additional considerations that you are likely mulling over to help your team make a successful transition to what’s next.

  1. Be patient.
  2. Create space for processing and sense-making. 
  3. Be honest about what you know and what you don’t. 
  4. Overcommunicate. 
  5. Don’t ignore warning signs of distress. 

If your staff are returning to work, how are you preparing them? What resources do you need? 

I'm looking forward to the continued discussion. 


Kathy Tracey 

Colleagues, 

As I continue to share relevant information about the hybrid workplace, I discovered this article from the Harvard Review: Making the Hybrid Workplace Fair. We will be working with staff who are located on site or in the same physical space as well as those who may be working remotely or hybrid. 

So, how do we manage this fairly and equitably? How do we give our staff who are working remotely the same opportunities for those on site - the opportunities that come from networking and visibility? 

I encourage you to review the resources in this discussion and share your ideas, thoughts, promising practices, and concerns. 

Sincerely, 
Kathy Tracey

Colleagues, 

As we move toward hybrid work places, there should be a discussion on cyber security. In 2020, there was an 18% increase in cyber attacks in public schools.  These attacks are expected to increase. 

In total, the two organizations counted 408 incidents, including denial-of-service attacks, ransomware, data breaches and phishing attacks last year, the most since the K-12 Cybersecurity Resource Center started tracking such events in 2016. The incidents affected 377 organizations spread across 40 states, with 51% of all attacks affecting rural districts, which are often poorly equipped to respond to an IT emergency.

Will this increase with the hybrid work policies? Some companies are struggling with secure data due to hybrid work polices.    

As you work toward a hybrid model, how are you ensuring staff are aware of cyber security concerns and have polices in place that protect your organization. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

Kathy Tracey