A mis-remembered past, and a poorly imagined future

I am not a return-to-work radical,

I am not a work from home warrior.

And I do not buy in to the hybrid hype.

It is my hypothesis that the discussion about “where we work” can only be productively and usefully held, alongside a discussion about “how we work”.

And before we go further, if you’re reading this and about to chime in on the roles that can’t be done from home…I don’t want heart surgery in my doctor’s kitchen, or to watch my butcher chop my Sunday Roast in his front room, or to receive contact lenses manufactured on a beach either.

Following Amazon’s recent return to work mandate, 73% of 2585 anonymous employees surveyed on Blind say they are considering moving on following the announcement. 80% of employees said they knew somebody thinking of leaving, whilst 74% of Amazon workers are rethinking their futures. Irrespective of how many people make a change, the impact on morale is undeniable and disengaged workers have an impact. This will of course not sink Amazon, they’re big enough to ride this out. But other organisations will be more violently affected if they do not carefully think through their approach to the future of work.

I continue to be staggered by the short sightedness of many leaders who continue to issue “return to work” mandates, with zero consideration for the changes that technology and society have wrought over the last few years.

Like so many challenges we face today, the way we work is situational, contextual, and multi-faceted.

This is where I think our failure of imagination kicks in and our “too hard to think about” gene overrides logic and common sense. In the absence of a perfect solution that is “best for everyone” we default to solutions that are “good for no one”.

Let’s be clear. Things were not perfect when the vast majority of people worked from the office. We had not reached "optimal working conditions" in February 2020, and post-pandemic; we have certainly not optimised working from home. But individuals’ eyes have been opened to new possibilities whilst many leaders seem to be operating with their eyes fixed on mis-remembered halcyon days of yore.

Daily long-distance commutes, on unreliable public transport, at high cost (both in terms of finances and time), have now been proven unnecessary. Productivity has not materially fallen, and innovation has not disappeared. But we have not found a panacea for all our workplace ills.

• For every person reporting an increase in productivity there will be somebody struggling with isolated procrastination.

• For every percentage point improvement in the wellbeing of the young parent not stressing about the end of day commute before nursery closes, there is a decrease in the mental health of the isolated individual stuck in a small room on their own.

• For every experienced professional cranking the handle in happy solitude, there is an inexperienced youngster starting out and missing out on the mentorship that will transform their future.

It is time for leaders in their organisations to stimulate intelligent conversation and debate about how they can best work in the future. Technology has made a new way of working possible, and society has demonstrated a willingness to engage with change, so how do we harness the possibilities and embrace the future?

Our recommended approach is far too long to document here but here are some key areas for consideration. We'd be happy to talk more about this if you want to get in touch.

Firstly, the organisational senior leadership need to engage the employee base in a discussion around effective ways of working. Involve them in the design of work, listen to the current and historical frustrations. Do not issue mandates. Stimulate discussion about subjects including*:

• Working together and working alone - What do we need space and time for? What can best be done side by side?

• Team Dynamics and Communication - How do we respect one another's time and space? What commitments do we make around checking in and responding?

• Innovation and Productivity - How do we best innovate together? What preparation is best done in solitude and what is best worked through in a room? How do we best produce best work?

• Culture and Environment - How do we include people irrespective of location and role? What commitments do we make to one another about the way we work? How do we create safety and accountability?

• Responsibility and Expectation - What is my responsibility as a team member or leader (or both)? What is expected of me? What do I expect of others?

• Technology and proficiency - Are we getting the best out of the technology we've invested in? Are we developing and utilising the estate we have?

• Planning and Flexibility - Are we being mindful of others' commitments and responsibilities in organising work, diaries, events, meetings? Is my poor planning becoming somebody else's stress response?

• Trust and Empowerment - How do we empower one another and develop trust in one another?

• Wellbeing - What is it that each of us need? How does my behaviour, communication, organisation, commitment, consistency and integrity impact my own wellbeing and the wellbeing of others?

Then consider how the outputs from these discussions align with your organisational ambition. Where do you have flexibility? Where don't you? What is possible? What is impossible? What trades can you make to improve wellbeing and productivity (contrary to popular belief, this is NOT a zero sum game)?

And present back your new vision of the future. Explain the process you've been through and outline the evaluation you've undertaken. Demonstrate where you've been able to improve as a result of the discussions and planning you've held, and how you continue to evolve. 

Remember that where you work is only ever a product of how you work. 

As with any change some people will be unhappy. You will not be able to meet 100% of the ideas, because some of them will be in conflict. Acknowledge that some people are unhappy now, but remind everybody that people have been unhappy in the past. No solution is perfect and your responsibility as leaders is to create an environment where your people have the opportunity to thrive. It is ultimately up to each of them to decide how they feel about that environment.

Your job as a leader is NOT to assume that because everyone is in the office, the things in the list above are automatically solved, because they won’t be. Intentional leadership is the only sort of leadership worth having.

The important conversation is about how we do things, not where we do them. 

Whether at home, in the office, or a coffee shop in the middle of nowhere – how is more important. Unless you’re my heart doctor, optician, or surgeon*. Then where becomes just as important.

*a longer list of occupations I care about being done from a specific location is available on request.

**pondering “how you work”? drop me a comment or a message and I’ll send you our “how we work” checklist in early October to stimulate some thoughts.