On Tuesday 22/6-2021, Quicksearch together with Flourish held an Open mic session, a digital exchange of experiences about the challenges Post-Covid. We did this together with managers and HR employees who are active in everything from large, global companies, to municipalities, to slightly smaller companies. A lovely mix of companies that hopefully gave each other a lot of value in the form of good insights!
In order for those who participated to be able to share experiences and thoughts with each other and also in this way gain valuable insights, everyone who participated had to answer questions connected to the challenges we face this autumn. This was primarily done (on the first two questions) individually - and then taken out into different group rooms where the participants could discuss their answers with each other. Then they were given another question to answer individually, and last but not least to discuss the final question together as a group.
What we can take with us from that occasion is that autumn is facing completely new work-related challenges such as, for example, an increased risk of conflict between employees and managers. These are challenges that we have not had to deal with in the same way before, and which also require a lot of thought - but also a great deal of sensitivity from management. How do we want it? How do our employees want it? But perhaps above all: How can we make this work as well as possible for us both on an individual level - but also on a group level?
Insights from HR & managers
How big a risk do you think there is of conflict this autumn when the employees want to be at home but the boss is in the office?
How can this potential conflict be countered?
What do you think such a plan should contain?
- Clear guidelines
- A clear end result - how will we proceed in the future in terms of remote work? Also a clarity in the steps on the way there. Can we let working groups decide for themselves? What tools/prerequisites do we have?
- The plan should be reviewed periodically. Define internally what applies - may not have to be the same for everyone, remote work should be voluntary
- Clarity about how communication should take place, what is expected and what should happen remotely vs. on site. How do we ensure that the spread of infection does not occur? Why should we work on site, or why should we not? Clarify!
- The plan must be reviewed and evaluated on an ongoing basis
- Scope, working hours, practicalities and follow-up
- The task should control – type of meeting/activity. It is important to have guidelines for the manager to engage in dialogue - employees' wishes should not be allowed to rule entirely
- Checklist of what counts as a workplace. Clear communication about what the person and the team need. Secure community!
- A framework for flexible workplaces and a concrete plan for the practical return. Evaluation and measurement along the way. Local adaptations and a gradual return
A summary
To briefly summarize what we can take with us after this exchange of experiences:
We were able to establish together that there is a relatively high risk of conflict this autumn when returning to work. This is because many employees will want to continue working from home - while many managers may want to return to a normal state and have employees back in the office.
In order to counter this type of conflict, it is important to be clear about what it is that applies, i.e. an open dialogue with your employees. It is also important to be responsive to employees' needs and wishes, while at the same time guidelines should be set up to adhere to.
It turned out that most people do not have a communicated return plan before the autumn start-up, but there are also many workplaces that already have it in place. Such a plan should contain clear guidelines for employees to adhere to, also a decision on how it will look in the future. Should we let our own will rule? What do the conditions look like for us?
There is a need for great clarity about what is expected of the employees and also a concrete plan for the practical return. Evaluating and measuring along the way is important, also being able to make local adjustments along the way.
It is important that a return plan is reviewed and evaluated on an ongoing basis, depending on how the situation looks and the employees' own willingness to work more or less flexibly. It is also important to take different tasks into account and that in many cases they should be a reasonable factor that determines whether the work can be handled remotely or should be done on site.
We at Quicksearch & Flourish are happy to share these insights and hope that it also raises a thought or two for you, the reader. Perhaps it is something that you can also take with you before the start of the autumn?
