How employers and employees can co-create a new way of work

Both employers and employees have seen dramatic changes in the workplace over the past three years.

After the Covid pandemic came remote and hybrid work environments, combined with trends such as the Great Resignation and quiet quitting, which created unprecedented challenges for organisations and how they manage employees.

Is it time for a new workplace revolution? Genevieve Koolen, human resources director at SAP Africa, thinks it is.

“The Great Resignation, where employees left their jobs after the post-pandemic ‘return to normal’, was sparked by employees re-evaluating their careers and leaving their jobs in record numbers. As industries closed down during the early stages of the pandemic, many workers lost their jobs. A lucky few were able to retain employment and in some cases, especially in the technology sector, actually thrive despite the ongoing uncertainty and disruption.”

When employees were free from lengthy commutes and noisy offices, pandemic-era productivity spiked, with one Deloitte report finding that employees were more productive during the lockdowns.

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Work from home took toll on employees

“However, the intensity of work during that time arguably took its toll on employees. When restrictions were lifted and companies started calling employees back to the office, huge numbers opted to retain the new-found work-life balance they enjoyed, with some studies suggesting a record number of resignations during the latter stages of 2020,” Koolen says.

Many who stayed in their positions were burnt out from the intense work and social pressure caused by the pandemic and its ripple effects. For them the next step was quiet quitting, perhaps one of the most alarming trends because it reveals a deep-seated disillusionment with the status quo and a powerful desire among employees to redefine the boundaries of their careers.

A Gallup study revealed that only 21% of employees are engaged at work, while a McKinsey study found that 40% of the global workforce considered quitting their jobs within a three to six-month period.

Koolen says amid this workplace instability and a global economic downturn there is a very real need for companies to return to high levels of productivity and innovation. To achieve this, organisations must find common ground with employees and an effective way to retain top talent.

The bad news, she says, is that there is no guidebook for how companies should do this. Creating a new world of work will require courage, collaboration and clear communication with employees at all levels. This is likely to demand a complete redrawing of some traditional workplace boundaries, namely workplace duties, cultural alignment and realising the vision of the organisation, Koolen says.

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Workplace duties

One of the benefits for employees during the pandemic’s work-from-home phase was that they were less likely to be assigned tasks that had nothing to do with their core jobs. In an office environment, employees run the risk of getting pulled in to support work that falls outside their own job responsibility. This can lead to longer working hours, stress and even burnout, Koolen warns.

“While there can be an upside for employees taking on extra responsibility as a way of learning or expanding their network, companies must be realistic about expectations and keep the balance between productivity and creating an unhealthy workplace. A recognition system for those who go the extra mile is also helpful in creating some reward.”

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Cultural alignment among employees

Koolen says one of the more insidious consequences of the work-from-home era is a misalignment between employees and the organisational culture. While this is especially true for new employees that joined the business during lockdown, even long-standing employees will have experienced some disengagement with the broader company vision.

The effect is a lower level of engagement with non-core tasks, such as attending company events or participating in team-building activities. In extreme cases, Koolen says, this misalignment has left some employees entirely unwilling to return to the office.

“There is no easy fix for this. Companies must work with employees to reframe their vision and culture and ensure it is fit for the new world of work. Employees in turn will have to acknowledge that to achieve broader organisational goals and drive the business forward, some compromises must be made.”

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Vision to reality

The past few years exposed some of the inherent duplicity in how organisations attract and motivate staff compared to what their actual focus is, Koolen says. “While creating healthy work environments with more focus on employee wellbeing is top of mind, this must be balanced with the need to generate growing profits, fulfil shareholder commitments and compete effectively in tough economic conditions.”

She says companies must be clear with employees on their vision and values. “There is a fine line to be walked between people, purpose and profit which is ultimately linked to shareholder value. Creating the right balance between these three will likely help to attract and retain the best talent for each environment.”