Time to re-group and re-engage

Evidently the pandemic meant the majority of us had to work remotely. Seeing our colleagues on a laptop screen rather than in person. Whilst virtual interactions are effective, enabling business to continue and employees to work together, albeit remotely, there is something to be said about meeting and collaborating face to face.

McKinsey¹ carried out a survey in February 2021 and found that some work that technically can be done remotely is best done in person. These included negotiations, critical business decisions, brainstorming sessions, providing sensitive feedback, and onboarding new employees as some examples of activities that may lose some effectiveness when done remotely.

And yet, a survey conducted in March 2021², found that nearly 6 out of 10 workers reported being more productive working from home than they expected to be during the pandemic, compared with 14 percent who said they got less done. On average, respondents’ productivity at home was 7 percent higher than they expected. The researchers argue that the work-from-home trend is here to stay, and they calculate that these working arrangements will increase overall worker productivity in the US by 5 percent as compared with the pre-pandemic economy.

So how do we ensure we get that balance right? Evidently home working is effective for some, based on personality traits and job role, but for others being in an office is important to them. A global survey by Tarkett³ found that 40% of those surveyed think of the office not only as a space for productivity but also social connection. It also found that employees want the post-pandemic workplace to not only include more independent spaces but also spaces where they can gather to create a sense of community.

Therefore, as employers, it is critical you provide the working environment that enables your people to decide. Empowering individuals to make the decision as to whether they need to have certain meetings face to face or if virtual will do. There is benefit in both and it is recognising what works for each situation. One thing is for sure, we are probably all craving more personal interaction than ever before due to the lack of it in recent months. So now may be a good time to re-group and re-engage in person (with the necessary sensible precautions of lateral flows, sanitiser on hand etc.) Bring your teams together to brainstorm, collaborate, meet new starters and be part of a team once more and map out what the future of work looks like.

If you are unsure of how to get the remote working balance right, or unsure on how to run effective meetings, virtual or face to face, contact us at help@pureblueocean.com

¹ https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/the-future-of-work-after-covid-19

² https://www.chicagobooth.edu/review/are-we-really-more-productive-working-home

³ https://gbdmagazine.com/post-pandemic-workplace/