Topics In Demand
Notification
New

No notification found.

THE EVOLUTION AND ELEVATION OF OUR WORKPLACE IN A YEAR
THE EVOLUTION AND ELEVATION OF OUR WORKPLACE IN A YEAR

May 10, 2021

32

0

For too long, businesses have led with the assumption that resources make or break organizations. They have viewed all business problems from a monetary lens, overlooking one critical part of the equation: the workforce. However, the tide is changing now. Companies are increasingly realizing how people are the lifeline that they run on. This newfound realization reminds us of the time when human beings believed that the entire solar system revolves around the earth. However, we know today that that simply is not the case. Just like the world does not revolve around our tiny blue planet, businesses do not revolve around being profitable. With changing times, the priorities of the business world have also changed. Nowadays, companies take more pride in taking care of their people than turning profits. Though the latter has not lost importance, the former has simply gained the prominence it has always deserved. 

 

Adding COVID to the mix

 

The people-first revolution was brewing long before COVID hit the shore. However, with the business world jointly battling a pandemic, the importance of treating people right became clear. With organizations depending entirely on their workforce to stay afloat, employee well-being became a priority. This mindset-shift goes with several other changes that have taken place in the span of a year. Here are some key fronts on which workforces have evolved between March 2020 and April 2021 according to PERSOLKELLY. 

 

Job autonomy 

 

2020 made it impossible for employees to work in a shared physical space. Thus, managers had no choice but to keep a check on their team members via remote communication tools. Moreover, with companies realizing that a rigid 9 to 5 structure was not universally productive, they rolled the dice on flexible timings. As a result, team members had autonomy over their working hours. This change was much welcomed as it kept people from succumbing to the uncertainty looming everywhere. Simply put, organizations that managed to fend off the remote work crisis trusted employees to rise to the occasion by themselves. On the contrary, companies, where top-down communication shackled employee autonomy, fared the worst. 

 

Empathy as a significant attribute

 

The sudden outbreak of a pandemic was a lot to take in for everyone. On an organizational as well as personal level, shock and paranoia were abundant. Thus, interventions that lacked empathy were bound to fail by design. Companies that viewed the pandemic from a transactional lens did not see the big picture. They obsessed over declining numbers and downsized aggressively. Such organizations viewed remote work as a temporary hiccup, not accounting for changes necessary for employee well-being. They progressed with a “business-as-usual” attitude and paid the price for it. On the other side, organizations that handled COVID with grace adopted an empathetic response to the catastrophe. They functioned with a people-first approach and took all measures to sustain their workforce. High-level executives of such organizations relinquished their bonuses to make sure nobody gets fired. Even on professional networking platforms, people rallied together and tried to help those who lost their jobs. In a way, the business world was divided into two factions: those who led by numbers and others who led by empathy. The latter appeared as victors. 

 

Investment in employee happiness

 

For many employees, remote work dissolved the physical boundary between their home and workspace. Those living with kids were usually the most afflicted. Even flexible working hours did not offer them any semblance of work-life balance. Thus, their mental health understandably took a hit. Companies that understood the long-term implications of such employee-centric grievances took swift action. They paired their workforce with resources meant to foster well-being and happiness. Group mindfulness sessions and organization-sponsored access to help became standard measures for people-first companies. Many organizations also directly asked their employees what they needed to feel better. Such candid and earnest problem-redressal did wonders for long-term employee happiness. Overall, COVID forced businesses to have conversations that were long overdue and paved the way for a greater focus on employee well-being. 

 

Modern communication tools to support effective employee communication

 

Thanks to remote work, the choice to exchange ideas in conference rooms was no longer workable. Along the same lines, people were not working under the same roof anymore. Managers could not just stroll over to someone’s office for an update. Team members could not just sit across a shared table and collaborate in real-time. All employee communication now had to happen across the internet. Team collaboration tools and video-conferencing apps acted as the last line of defense against ineffective teamwork. However, it is undeniable that transitioning from physical to virtual communication was challenging at first. But, once employees overcame initial learning curves to modern communication tools, workforces across domains did simply fine amidst the new normal. Going forward, organizations are even considering making the move to remote work permanent. They have realized that what seemed like an unwanted change at first is a powerful tool shaping the modern workforce.  

 

Renewed vision on success

 

Most companies that survived the pandemic no longer view success in conventional terms. They understand that unforeseen circumstances can wreck soaring profits in one fell swoop. However, companies with a loyal and dedicated workforce can overcome even the worst of obstacles. That is why organizations have now started evaluating success in terms of overall employee well-being and great company culture. Contrary to widespread belief, prioritizing such metrics impact numeric success positively. The logic here is simple. Happier people are motivated to work harder. Instead of slogging through goals, they tackle day-to-day challenges with a passionate attitude and feel pride in doing their best work. Overall, companies that care about their employees garner the same response from their employees. Thus, success in terms of employee happiness automatically translates to conventional, performance-centric success. 

 

Conclusion

Whether in life or business, there’s value in putting people first. In other words, what’s best for its people is, often, what’s best for the company. 

 

This article was originally published on PERSOLKELLY blog here 


That the contents of third-party articles/blogs published here on the website, and the interpretation of all information in the article/blogs such as data, maps, numbers, opinions etc. displayed in the article/blogs and views or the opinions expressed within the content are solely of the author's; and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of NASSCOM or its affiliates in any manner. NASSCOM does not take any liability w.r.t. content in any manner and will not be liable in any manner whatsoever for any kind of liability arising out of any act, error or omission. The contents of third-party article/blogs published, are provided solely as convenience; and the presence of these articles/blogs should not, under any circumstances, be considered as an endorsement of the contents by NASSCOM in any manner; and if you chose to access these articles/blogs , you do so at your own risk.


Holistic Workforce Solutions provider with large reach across APAC region.

© Copyright nasscom. All Rights Reserved.