academy@peopleshr.com
Level 1, 50 Yeo Street, Neutral Bay,
NSW 2089, Australia
Succession Planning at its best – lessons from the Royal Family
No one can give a better example of succession planning than the Royals themselves, the process and procedures in place to immediately proclaim and transfer monarch is sublime and smooth. The palace mastered the art of succession planning and successor preparation years ago. The palace teaches us all the amount of detail, strategy, and tactical planning that has to be done to transfer ownership of power and how the leader has to be prepped to take the lead.
Handed power during a crisis at a personal loss
The royal family is being prepared to take over the roles once the leadership transfers. The ultimate ownership has its defined boundaries and detailed plan on how the proclamation of the new monarch takes place while King Charles has to visit all the counties of England for the first time as their King while grieving for his mother in time at a personal loss. The poised poignant royals take a high road in all the traditions, and vigils but not forgetting to communicate and address their audience, their people.
Granular planning & preparation
The London Bridge operation detailing the Queen’s funeral plans on a 10-day project has already been decided with the Queen, King Charles, and the rest of the working royals. The plan takes place as and when the leadership changes and everyone is on board and briefed beforehand so there is no ambiguity or room for speculation.
Successor preparation, develop key competencies for leadership
The most crucial out of all, King Charles III was prepping for it his whole life. Even from his childhood to his education to military training, was a part preparing him and his successors to take up the roles from birth. This involves identifying development needs and closing gaps while getting the successor to develop competencies and skills that is needed for the job.
Build empathy and manage vulnerability
King Charles III and the working royals have been extremely empathetic toward the public in consoling and sharing their personal experiences about Queen Elizabeth II. They all accepted her devotion and service, and while it is understood that the new leader will have certain changes there never was any criticism among the successors. While Queen Elizabeth II left on her terms, the path was clear for the next person with no grey areas – the process to her duties, charities, and work was defined and passed on to the next generations.
Brand image and communication on point
King Charles addressed the nation for the first time with poise, controlling his personal emotions yet being vulnerable. Royals go by “never complain, never explain” yet are approachable to the public, friendly, and charming when they are among the public. Each of them shared their personal experience with people who loved their leader and shared her with them.
Accept advice and seek counsel
The royals always had counsel and mentors advising them, especially during transitions and crises. Having an expert panel to support you through the change of leadership and reputation mishaps to protect leadership and reduce human errors.
Something that organizations fail to do is acknowledge the good done during past leadership, protect the corporate legacy not criticize predecessors who lack integrity. Many companies might not have the board strength to oversee the transition and prepare succession in a royal way, but with a digitized and modern HR it is possible. HR tech has come a long way, it might not be royal proof but HR systems such as PeoplesHR have been built to be future-proof for succession planning.
Quiet Quitting, the fall of going above and beyond
Rapidly rising in popularity, the term Quiet Quitting is now of key interest to us all. Simply put, if you’re doing the ‘bare 9 am – 5 pm minimum’ so you can rush home to watch House of the Dragon, then yes you’re Quiet Quitting. To experience the brouhaha surrounding this term, one needs only to tune into TikTok, where young professionals are loudly proclaiming their stance against going above and beyond for their jobs.
So in a nutshell, employee engagement rates are falling especially amongst Millennials and Gen Zs. In order to address this staggering phenomenon, human resource partners and company decision-makers should first attempt to determine the cause. Why are people quiet quitting?
1.Enough is enough!
Perhaps we are just on the cusp of over-exhaustion and burning out. In this new normal of working from home, work-life balance is diminishing for most. Meeting are scheduled at all hours, an act that has shifted from being occasionally to business as usual. In response, the ‘yes men’ (and women) of the past have now summoned the courage to say no to late hours. They are more focused on self-care and mental well-being. Hence, this may be a clear indication to those who govern corporations to start setting healthy boundaries.
2. Bad Bosses
It is time to shift the blame from the quiet quitters and reevaluate company leaders. A study done by the Harvard Business Review posited that ineffective managers are three to four times more likely to have quiet quitters in their midst. While this may be a tough pill to swallow, here’s the hard truth that most take for granted. If you want your employees to go that extra mile, inspire them to do it and at the same time, reward their sacrifices. Because let’s face it, is the tale of endlessly working for that promotion only to be let down at the end not as old as time? If your employees have started “acting their wage” as revenge against false promises, can one really blame them?
In short, many of the inhabitants of the world of work are now unsubscribing from going above and beyond for their employers. So then the question is, what can be done to address this?
For starters, get on the right side of this phenomenon. Promote, nay advocate for work-life balance in your organization! We’d advise a top-down approach where company leaders are educated on the importance of creating a culture where workers do not have to feel like they need to apologize for their personal lives. Set policies to minimize meetings after 6 pm, prevent uncompensated work on weekends and enforce consequences on rule breakers.
Next, rethink your management approach. If you have multiple direct reports who are deemed as quiet quitters, then a key point to reflect on is whether it is the fault of your workers… OR…. is it a shortcoming of your leadership abilities? If you can bring yourself to accept that it might be the latter, perhaps you can work on fostering better relationships with your team. We think that this starts with open communication. If there is an urgent need to work late, help your direct reports understand the criticality. When your team does work late, acknowledge their efforts and compensate when possible, even if it is just a cup of coffee. In our experience, a cup of coffee goes a long way!
Let me sign off with this final thought. It is worth remembering that while a company’s profitability, key performance indicators, and other growth targets are important, employees are not just tools at a manager’s disposal. They are human beings. And more often than not, if you give them your best, they will give you theirs.
3 Ways The M-verse Can Impact HR
The biggest buzzwords of the past year or so has been “virtual reality”, “augmented reality” and the most recent one being “metaverse”. I have been seeing numerous videos, articles and webinars by professionals about its potential. From Satya Nadella to my neighbour, everyone is talking about it.
Okay, let’s break this down:
What is this Metaverse?
The Metaverse is a digital space created by a user where they can socialize and interact with people who are similar to them. That’s what Google says. The term metaverse is derived from the Greek word ‘meta’ which means ‘beyond’ and ‘universe’. It describes any virtual world which is created by the users themselves. A few examples of the places available in the metaverse include Second Life and the Open Sim platform etc.
Still pretty complex. It’s actually a future already. Virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence are all going to play a major role in the way HR functions in the years ahead. A number of companies are already taking advantage of this technology and are using it for various purposes such as training simulations, virtual meeting rooms for remote team members, and employee productivity tools.
Okay now let’s move towards the main point of this blog. I’ll go over some ways that metaverse can impact HR.
Increased Productivity
Metaverse is a collaborative environment that allows people to work together. This means you can collaborate on projects with remote colleagues and co-workers, which increases productivity because you’re able to be more productive when working from anywhere.
You may have even noticed that the majority of your daily tasks are done on the fly—you don’t always have time for lunch or breakroom chats (or even coffee). But with metaverse technology in place, these types of interactions would be possible without interruptions or distractions.
Better Workforce Retention
Employees can work together in real time and across multiple locations, which means that they can stay connected to each other even when they’re not physically present in the office. This helps them collaborate more efficiently on projects and share ideas with others. It also gives employees greater flexibility in how they manage their time, allowing them to work remotely or on flexible schedules (if necessary).
The best part about being able to communicate this way? It makes you feel like your colleagues are part of your team rather than just people who happen to be available when needed—which makes those times when we lose touch even harder!
Provide collaborative environment
If you’re already a fan of the metaverse and understand it, you probably already know how it is to be able to take collaboration to a whole new level. It can revolutionize the way human resources works for e.g., the work of screening job candidates. By making employers get up close and personal with prospective employees, VR may finally level the playing field for people with disabilities. And by making it easier for companies to bring on a diversified workforce, it may lead to more creativity in the corporate world. Plus, it’s just plain fun!
Let’s be honest: embracing new technology can be hard to swallow for some die-hard luddites out there. But when it comes to things like VR, the metaverse and HR, it’s time to start thinking about the future. And with those points, I hope that I was able to give you some food for thought and a small idea on the metaverse and its possible future impact on HR which might one day in future take us from a flat zoom meeting to a 3D virtual office.
Top HR lessons for Gen-Z workforce from ‘The Devil wears Prada’
The famous movie “The Devil wears Prada” was recommended to me by my first ever boss at a time where I was hustling with never ending requests and demands that came in for a management trainee. I remember watching it back then, awed by Andy’s hustle and courage to stick through, it was motivating and inspirational at that time.
Fast forward to 2022, I watched it again. I realized what a toxic work culture that is and how employee wellbeing is not even considered as priority. Things have drastically changed in two decades, HR is taking over putting employees first in terms of experience, learning and culture. The millennial generation is rapidly transitioning to Gen-Z demands on how a workplace should be to suit them. While watching it, so many bells were ringing in my head, there are so many lessons – a young HR professional can learn from this movie.
Lesson 1:
A good onboarding experience will result in retention and high productivity
Andy is being bombarded with tasks on her first day at work with no training or introductions.
There is absolutely no excuse for bad onboarding experience. There has to be a process where employee is given the job role, introduced to teams and given adequate training and time to learn. Showing them around the office, giving them a glossary if they are from a different industry, and much information and detail for them to transition.
It is necessary to measure onboarding experience after a month or so with a survey to understand if the employee had a pleasant one.
Lesson 2:
Clear communication between supervisor and employee is mandatory.
Andy is not allowed to ask questions from Miranda, and after every interaction with her boss Andy ends up being confused.
Lack of engagement which ends up with employees resigning or less productivity, mostly due to lack of communication from management. Managers need to give clear outlines of what their expectations are and allow two-way communication where the subordinate can clarify certain areas.
Frequent meetings: stand-up daily meetings, weekly meetings etc are necessary for employee where feedback can be provided for improvement.
Lesson 3:
A psychologically safe work environment for employees is priority.
Andy experiences bullying, being laughed at her dress sense and even been body shamed.
HR must ensure that each department is psychologically safe and employees should have a mechanism to report to HR if it is not. HR has to monitor and support employees who feel uncomfortable and have regular sessions to make sure employee feels safe and taken care of.
Many HR departments have automated systems where grievances can be captured even complaints about the boss can be shared anonymously for HR to tackle.
Lesson 4:
Employee wellbeing and work life balance has to be taken very seriously.
Andy’s being used at work in a way where she has no personal life. She struggles to balance her personal life and relationships which are hanging on thread.
Employee burnout should be looked into seriously and the necessary support has to be given to recover. There needs to be clear time-offs for employees and working 24/7 will result in major burnout. Having a difficult and abusive boss also is a key reason for burnout.
HR needs to give sufficient advice and guidance to team heads and managers how not to let subordinates get stressed and overworked and have a process to manage internally.
Employee experience is an area which organisations focus to stay ahead of competition. Unlike a few years ago, many candidates ask employer questions on work culture, employee engagement and
flexibility. Recruiting good people is tough, retaining them during this great recession time is even tougher. HR needs to level up their game because unlike millennials, Gen-Z won’t settle for less.
Two Ways in which HR can support Men’s Mental Health at Work
Mental health affects us all. It’s easy to assume that the issue only arises in those who are diagnosable. But mental health issues can affect anyone and can be triggered by anything. For some men, a trigger may be work-related. A stressful meeting with a colleague, a difficult encounter with your superior, or an unexpected change in your job role can leave you feeling stressed or depressed at work – as well as at home.
Traditionally, mental health used to be a topic that was not openly discussed, but today companies are taking small steps to address it for their employees more proactively than ever before. What can companies do to ensure good mental well-being for their employees, especially for men?
This blog post offers two ways in which HR can help.
Break the Stigma
Stigma is a barrier for men seeking help and being open about their mental health. Stigma can make them feel like they’re not normal. It can also prevent them from getting the help they need because they don’t want to be judged by others who might have preconceived notions about what it means to be “a man.” A stigma-free environment is important for both men and women.
HR can create awareness within the company by simply talking about it to break the stigma. The more it’s spoken of, the more it will be normalized. Organize learning sessions/ webinars by experts on topics such as stress management techniques. Encourage your male employees to schedule therapy sessions by integrating solutions like oDoc available on PeoplesHR Marketplace . It is an app that lets them consult specialists in minutes online.
Encourage your employees to talk about mental health during meetings and to provide feedback to HR or team leaders on ways in which they can improve collective mental health. This can result in a more inclusive company culture in which your team members are more comfortable discussing their mental health challenges and what has helped them overcome.
Mental Health & Physical Exercise Go Hand in Hand
As well as being an important factor in physical health, exercise is a great way to help with mental health for anyone. It boosts energy levels and makes employees feel more relaxed and positive about themselves. There are lots of ways to do exercise that can benefit your mental wellbeing: walking or running outside; playing sports like football or basketball with colleagues; going for a swim at the local leisure centre; taking up boxing classes – there are so many options out there!
It’s not always easy to find the motivation to exercise when you are not in the best of spirits but having the support of a workout buddy has been proven to provide an incentive to get involved. HR can partner up with health & fitness experts to provide employees with fitness programs that they can all participate in together. This sense of togetherness will not just make exercise a fun affair but will contribute to a positive change in mental health.
At PeoplesHR Marketplace, we have extended solutions made available, one of which is Workout.lk which is Sri Lanka’s most comprehensive health and fitness platform that aims to inspire people in their health journey, especially geared towards empowering corporate staff engaged in sedentary occupations.
If you’ve read this blog this far, chances are that you care deeply about the well-being of your employees. This is a daunting task, especially when many employees may be suffering in silence. But this journey starts with one person willing to talk about it. As we see more and more men like Prince Harry and Shawn Mendes encouraging society to talk about mental health issues without shame or fear, the day is not far away when we will be able to break this stigma. In the corporate world, of course, HR needs to recognize this if we want to adapt to modern and inclusive work culture. They will need to play an active role by bringing solutions or partners on board, increasing awareness, and reducing the stigma around these issues by making them part of our everyday conversations.
Ways in which HR can come out and make employees proud with pride month initiatives
It’s officially Pride Month and that means a lot of rainbow themes are being rolled out in marketing across the corporate world. Companies rush to re-colorise their logos to publicly show their support for LGBTQ+ employees. Although it may have seemed cool and welcoming in the beginning, people are not so receptive about the whole brands + pride affair anymore. Why? Because it really doesn’t do much to help advance equality for the population it claims to support. In fact, I’ve seen more content on social media and the internet mocking companies for rainbow washing this time of the year than anything about standing in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community, even beating the timeless classic – “Diversity and Inclusion” by a not so narrow margin.
There is nothing wrong in doing so, be it then or now, even if it means changing your company logo or putting out carousel posts on “Five ways in which companies can uphold LGBTQ+ rights in the workplace”. But what matters is not the gesture but the actions that follow these gestures and go into supporting the LGBTQ+ community and institute any kind of meaningful change.
Bath & Body Works is making a $150,000 donation this year to the It Gets Better Project, supporting their mission to uplift, empower and connect LGBTQ+ youth across the globe. This doesn’t mean that actions always have to be something that involves money and donations. But you will have to put your money where your mouth is, so to speak, on supporting these communities and do something that goes more than words to both consumers and employees and meeting their expectations for providing an inclusive culture where everyone’s wellbeing is prioritised.
The Era of Actions
There are so many ways to celebrate Pride Month at work but the most important way is to make sure that your workplace is a safe space for members of the LGBTQ+ community.
- As the first step you can start by including a diversity and inclusion rider on job descriptions, making it clear that your workplace is a safe space for people of all backgrounds.
- Although we may be living in 2022, there are still gaps evidently present and visibly seen when it comes to knowledge about the LGBTQ+ community among people which highlights the importance of offering education on LGBTQ+ issues in the workplace. This can also be accompanied by a diversity and inclusion training session for employees.
- Companies can hire external consultants to evaluate diversity in the workplace, and to make suggestions for making your workplace more inclusive.
- You can also go one step further by hiring a full-time diversity and inclusion officer, if you are a bigger company.
- That’s not all – companies can ensure access to gender-neutral restrooms at all offices and/or stores.
Celebrating Pride month around the office
In addition to the real talk above, HR can also initiate Pride Month celebrations around the office by,
- Inviting an LGBTQ+ speaker for a talk or interactive session.
- Screening a documentary about LGBTQ+ rights or history at work.
- Choosing a book about LGBTQ+ history for the office book club this month.
- Or even doing something simple like displaying your pronouns in your email signature and on social media profiles, and encouraging others to do the same.
Still So Far to Go
It’s definitely not easy for companies to be bold about their initiatives to stand with the LGBTQ+ community because the world is, put simply, in different places on LGBTQ+ issues. But bringing employees together around these issues and engaging them on what they want to see can reveal some important insights and make them feel as though their voices are heard which is fundamental when it comes to the job of good HR.
Be a top talent like Maverick: 6 lessons from Top Gun!
Spoilers ahead. Not a big action movie fan, but watched the movie because it was my husband’s all-time favourite movie. I was moved, awed and inspired by Maverick, his resilience and clarity of character. Not every day you come across a Maverick in an organisation, but when they come and go: there are so many lessons we can learn from them. Here are few lessons for HR on how to build Mavericks for future organisations.
1. Job roles change, own it and excel in it
Maverick was sent back to Top Gun, not to be a pilot but to train the best young set of pilots towards a deadly mission. Maverick whose passion is to fly, absorbs to his new role without changing who he is but bringing in a lot of clarity and purpose towards the mission. He changes the way he trains, watches them to understand their characters and completely twists the teaching style.
2. Learn the art of training Gen-Z, swing away from traditional styles
The set of pilots are savvy, intelligent and brilliant. They know their worth; they know their game. But they are not ready for the mission – Maverick knows this. He gets them to train in non-conventional ways which includes a dog fight on air. He shows by example with skills how he still can beat them and even lets them choose their punishment for failure.
3. Become a change leader to your team, help anticipate change
Change managers are common, change leaders are hard to build. Maverick leads change and gets the team to anticipate change throughout the mission. When Cyclone challenges Maverick and changes the game plan, Maverick shows that it is do-able and is the only way to survive.
4. Capabilities will differentiate you and keep you ahead of the game
Maverick pulled out the manual for fighter jet and threw it. Everyone in the class knew it by heart, so did the enemy. The enemy didn’t know the capabilities that the pilots have, that was their competitive advantage. Competitors know the industry, the business and they know how to recruit your talent. What they don’t know is what your talent is capable of.
5. Sometimes your contemporary can give you the best advice, take it
Seeing Ice reuniting with Maverick was nostalgic, Ice knew how capable Maverick was and he knew only Maverick can pull it off. But he also knew Maverick’s weakness – his past with Goose, and his present with Rooster. He advices Maverick to let things go, sometimes your contemporary or colleague can give you the best advice because they know you best.
6. Succession planning, wingman is a choice not a necessity.
Everyone needs a second in command, someone to replace the leader, someone who can take on the responsibilities of a leader. Choosing the next best needs to come unbiasedly and whole heartedly. Training the next best is a big responsibility while he keeps the ship afloat, he gets to see how you make decisions and gets to shadow a leader throughout, which is one of the best ways to learn.
Building top talent takes time and effort, but PeoplesHR will make it easier by taking over all your manual HR work so you have time to strategize and focus on your best asset, your people. Interested in what we have on offer? Drop us a message today.
Hack Your Day with the Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro is a time management technique that can help people to complete tasks quickly and efficiently. I tried this technique out recently and it helped me be more productive and get my work done faster. So, let’s get right into it!
Set a goal for the day
- Set a goal for the day. Without a long-term goal, you will not be able to take action towards accomplishing it.
- What is a good goal? A good goal should be positive, achievable, and meaningful in your life. For example: “I want to write a blog today” or “I want to read 30 pages of my book today” or even something as simple as “I need some motivation right now!” The trick is that it needs to motivate yourself enough so that you can stick with it until completion!
Set a time limit to get things done
- Set a timer for a specific amount of time.
Set a realistic goal for the time period, and focus on getting things done quickly; don’t worry about being perfect or making every detail look good. The idea is to get started and see what happens—if it’s not working, adjust your strategy later.
Use the Pomodoro timer to help you focus on the task at hand. It will prevent you from wasting too much time scrolling through Instagram or TikTok, which can be extremely distracting when trying to finish something important on any given day!
Take regular breaks
There’s a reason why you’re taking breaks during the Pomodoro method. They’re not just for fun—they’re very important. And here’s why:
- Breaks help you stay focused on the task at hand because they give your mind a moment to rest and recharge its batteries.
- Breaks also help increase productivity because they allow you to explore other areas of interest that may not be directly related to the task at hand but can still be helpful in solving problems or generating ideas.
So, what should you do when I take a break? When it comes time for your break, there are several things that will help make it more productive than if you didn’t take one. For example:
- Use this time as an opportunity to get some fresh air or go for a walk outside (if weather permits)This will give your brain something different from what it’s been doing all day so far and provide some much-needed physical activity (which is good for everyone). If possible, try taking advantage of any free coffee shops or restaurants near where you work so that their ambiance can inspire new ideas!
Reward yourself when you accomplish something
As a human being, you should be rewarding yourself for accomplishing goals. We all love those little rewards after we reach a milestone. It’s what keeps us going and gives us the motivation to keep going.
The Pomodoro technique encourages you to reward yourself when you finish your tasks by doing something that’s important to you—but not necessarily urgent or necessary for example: taking a walk, making some tea. This way, instead of rewarding yourself with food or you can reward yourself with something that makes sense and is good for your mental health like reading or watching a movie.
Use a timer to keep track of your time.
A good Pomodoro timer should be simple and easy to use, and most importantly, it should not interfere with the actual task of working on your project. Also, you can alternatively use a Pomodoro app or even your phone timer.
Before starting each Pomodoro session, you should set the timer for 25 minutes—the length of one Pomodoro session. When this period is up, take a break for five minutes before starting another session. Sounds simple yeah? Setting the timer is easy but getting into the routine and committing to it is hard.
You can be more productive every day with regular, healthy habits.
Start the day with a goal and a time limit. Then break it down into smaller tasks and set a timer for each one. When you’re done with something, take a short break! After that, reward yourself for being so productive and keep going until your time runs out — then do something fun!
Well, if you can’t tell by now, the Pomodoro Technique is a great way to boost your productivity and keep yourself focused for longer periods of time. By breaking up your work sessions into 25-minute sprints with five-minute breaks in between, you’re giving yourself the best opportunity to stay focused on your tasks. This technique works especially well if you have a tendency to get distracted while focusing on one thing, because it allows you to take mini breaks when you start feeling antsy or tired. And if it doesn’t work out for you right away? Don’t worry! It takes some practice and some willpower before anyone becomes a Pomodoro pro.
Employee Champions & Why you need one
It may be unheard of as a role, but those in HR do carry out tasks similar to that of an employee champion, despite the fact that it is not recognized as a separate role. The role of modern-day HR is very broad, whether it is as a change agent or a strategic business partner; having someone in HR as an employee champion is a thing in modern workplaces where employer branding is very important.
Let's now understand who an Employee Champion is and their role.
Employee champions can be assigned by HR to assess employee morale/motivation and level of satisfaction in the workplace. This person or team is in charge of it and drives these factors through relevant activities and by collecting information to further improve productivity and satisfaction levels. This makes the workplace more appealing to employees. The happier the employees are, the stronger the company’s culture and employer brand will be.
For example, if a department is falling behind in terms of productivity, the employee champion makes a point of approaching and speaking with the employees in that department. When the champion has identified the problem, he or she should report back to the management or the relevant team leader so that appropriate steps can be taken.
Can anyone in the workplace be an Employee Champion?
The beauty of this HR role is that sometimes it necessarily does not have to be someone from HR. Sometimes the team leader may take on this role unofficially. We call them natural employee champions. They do it unknowingly & don’t need to be assigned. They naturally work towards boosting team morale. An employee champion role example is a high-performing employee in a small team or department where they act as an informal leader who guides everyone or inspire the others to be productive as well. Anyone can take on this role.
You may now wonder why the company needs a separate individual for this role when we have team leaders who act as the employee champions. The simple answer is that not all team leaders will be this way. Not all leaders can take on the role of employee champions. In addition to that, there can be instances where the team members in a department may be reluctant to talk openly about factors influencing their work motivation. Having an unbiased person whose only focus is to be there for the employees helps during such circumstances.
Benefits of having an Employee Champion
If a business is overly committed to delivering and making its products or services top-notch or expanding, it risks losing sight of its employees. This may happen during a stressful business quarter as well. Employees are more likely to experience anxiety and feel burnt out during this time. If no one steps in at the right time to check on them, they might gradually lose confidence in the company. A team leader or someone may not always be able to dedicate time amidst situations as such to the team members. Having an employee champion can solve this problem by focusing on the internal issues faced by employees and giving them tips on how to stay sane during stressful times.
The editor-in-chief of EmexMag describes employee champions as catalysts. When policy shifts or any major changes are bought about in the workplace in an attempt to increase efficiency and productivity, they are often met with a grudging acceptance. It takes a while for most people to accept or absorb any change that takes place. An employee champion can help the other employees transition to or adopt the new policy faster.
Every workplace is different and the way they are structured will be distinct as well. It is unlikely that all leaders in the organisation will be able to take on the role of an employee champion and be able to effect the change necessary to improve organizational capabilities and possibly even analyse the potential of a workforce. Therefore, it is a good option to have an employee champion from HR who will be able to provide undivided attention to the employees.
Everything You Need to Know About WFA
With what the world has gone through in the past few years, work from home became the norm for a significant period. However, now people and businesses are moving into what is known as work from anywhere. Given how dynamic the world is now, it is not surprising to see more and more workplaces introducing HR policies allowing their employees to work from any part of the world.
This blog will take you through the WFA concept along with the advantages and disadvantages associated with it for HR.
What Is Work From Anywhere (WFA)?
The working from anywhere concept, more popularly known as the WFA, is an option provided by employers to allow employees to work from quite literally anywhere they like. All you need is a laptop and a solid internet connection to stay productive. You can imagine WFA to be the next-gen version of WFH.
The difference is that those who work from home now may be required to attend the office once in a while for a meeting, etc., whereas working from anywhere has no such obligations. With the pandemic, employees have become accustomed to working from home and are now ready to switch to working from anywhere.
Is Working From Anywhere Feasible?
There are many companies out there that allow their employees to work from anywhere to increase productivity and reduce overhead costs. But this may not be the right case for all. There are different factors that affect the way the work of these companies are done. For instance, one of the many factors would be the size of the company. A smaller company may not be able to handle the logistics like that of a larger company. Therefore, before implementing WFA, HR will have to consider these factors that affect their company and the issues that might arise as a result and make plans on how to tackle them.
Benefits of Work From Anywhere
Increased Productivity and Saving of Time
Having a WFA workforce helps increase productivity in the workplace. Employees are no longer wasting time commuting back and forth to work, chatting at the coffee table, or being distracted by others. This time saved can be invested back into increasing overall productivity levels.
Absences and employee turnover have been reduced.
Employees who work from anywhere are often more efficient, have fewer absence from work, and have a lower turnover rate than employees who work in traditional business settings.
Lower Facility Costs
A WFA arrangement can save you money by reducing costs on electricity usage for air conditioning or heating during the winter months when your employees might not want to come into the office due to weather conditions like snowfall or ice storms!
Employee Retention
If WFA works well within an organization’s culture they may find their employee retention rates rise as talented workers will be drawn to opportunities where they can feel empowered rather than restricted in pursuing their personal goals.
Instantly Diversified Workforce
Hiring from anywhere in the world will allow you to instantly diversify your talent pool. With an ever-expanding contingent, it becomes easier for companies trying to create cultures of diversity and inclusion by hiring people who represent different backgrounds instead of being confined within smaller geographical regions where there may only be one or two potential candidates available at any given time.
Disadvantages of Work From Anywhere
Employee Management
The primary downside of WFA is that managing remote employees on a large scale may be challenging. You may find it difficult to keep everyone responsible and on line with their job as they won’t necessarily be in close proximity. Without the typical clock in and clock out mechanism in place, ensuring that work begins on time and concludes on time is not totally viable.
Productivity Management
The organization’s productivity expectations are controlled on a local scale, which is the second drawback. Employees who work from home may feel less compelled to complete tasks or meet deadlines. If there is no framework to how work is done, this may quickly become an issue. The first downside is that when you don’t have the capacity to meet remote workers on a regular basis, managing them becomes a challenge. This could result in a waste of time and resources for your business, as well as missed opportunities.
The working from anywhere model is here to stay and it is up to companies to decide if they want to adopt it. Clearly the benefits listed above are more than the drawbacks explained. The companies that create their technological infrastructure to support this way of working will be well positioned to fully realize the model’s huge potential as explained above. With the right strategy, organizational procedures, technologies, and most importantly leadership transitioning to working from anywhere can become a reality.