The impossible has happened: teleworking is now part of everyday life in many organizations!
Organizations that had resisted implementing remote work for years, citing various valid and less valid reasons, were forced by the coronavirus pandemic to take drastic measures. Today’s reality shows that employees are not as helpless or unreliable as feared. But what are the implications for organizations, and more importantly, how can they be supported in taking advantage of this unexpected change?
The shift in knowledge work
Most modern organizations are still stuck in the functional and hierarchical thinking of the early 20th century. The so-called “scientific management” taught us that as managers, we must always observe, measure, and control to guarantee success. Only in this way can a work process be optimized. This reasoning led to large open-plan offices where employees followed and processed files like robots. Thankfully, this idea is slowly becoming outdated, and the current crisis confirms this.
Knowledge work is changing. Thanks to the digitalization and automation of our processes, we can leave repetitive tasks to artificial intelligence and algorithms. What remains is challenging knowledge work where the knowledge worker must be creative and find new solutions. This type of work requires a different context, one where employees have more freedom of choice and can determine how and when they will complete a task or project.
Teleworking: risks and opportunities
Telework offers an ideal context for performing tasks that require concentration or dealing with complex files. Thanks to virtual work tools, we can easily stay in touch with our colleagues, exchange knowledge, and work together on projects. In this context, personal interaction remains important. Studies show that interpersonal relationships are essential for employee well-being, team spirit, and knowledge exchange. On the other hand, the peace and structure of working from home often lead to higher productivity. In recent weeks, we have been forced to put these principles into practice. And look, it works!
Teleworking provides an ideal context for tasks that require concentration or handling substantive files.
Of course, we must ensure that colleagues do not become estranged and isolated. The casual chat at the coffee machine is gone, but solutions are being found, and we are actively searching for them. We could organize a virtual “happy hour” every Friday, have fun with the chat, share funny videos and photos, host a company quiz, etc. Teams are feverishly finding ways to maintain cohesion and preserve the feeling that we are “working together.”
We are not there yet, and we are confronted with the limitations of the tools we use today to collaborate virtually. The connection is not always optimal, and it is difficult to participate in a brainstorming session without a whiteboard where we can freely sketch ideas. Honestly, after two hours of intense virtual meetings, our brains are starting to fry. After a whole week filled with phone calls and virtual meetings, we are exhausted.
An evolution in leadership: from control to trust!
Something fundamental has changed in the operation of many Belgian organizations in recent weeks. Some had already understood it and had long abandoned the whole “command and control” approach. Others now realize that we have suddenly arrived in the future and that a new way of working also requires an adapted leadership style.
Colleagues no longer sit obediently at work waiting at their grey desks. They now must take action and assume responsibility. This situation no longer requires a “manager” who dictates everything but a “coach” who engages in conversation, listens, and motivates.
The corona crisis forces us to take action here as well and guide our leaders. The organization must create the conditions in which leaders can achieve results while giving trust and allowing teams to collaborate remotely.
Our work environment after corona
This crisis also provides us with the ideal opportunity to leave behind the nonsensical and outdated discussion about open-plan offices. Let’s look ahead now and ask ourselves: What kind of work environment will organizations really need after Corona?
- More flexible spaces to stimulate meetings and communication
As the nature of work changes, and we’ve now discovered that remote work is a viable option, our offices will primarily become meeting places where we organize discussions, work together on projects, and share knowledge. They will be cozy spots where we can interact in a casual setting, have coffee together, and exchange information.
- Bundeling cost structures
Our new offices will need to be much more sustainable than the current mammoth buildings. Why should organizations still rent, maintain, and heat large office spaces when individual and concentration work can mostly happen at home? Our new office buildings will therefore take up less space, and supporting services such as cleaning, catering, storage, reception, and maintenance can be shared with other organizations, possibly within the same building. Offices will need to be easily accessible and optimally equipped to support communication between employees and with clients.
- The workplace as a core element of the organization’s culture
The design of the “post-Corona” work environment will focus primarily on exchange and meeting. Offices will offer much more variety. In addition to traditional meeting rooms, cozy lounges, stand-up meeting rooms, plenary session tribunes, brainstorming rooms, conference rooms for remote meetings, and coffee spots will create an engaging interaction environment.
The workplace will become an attractive showcase for the organization, and the optimal mix of workplaces will offer a perfect balance between peace and interaction, allowing users to choose the ideal workspace for their workday based on their needs and activities.
- Integration of “clean desk” and “personal items” in an ever more flexible environment
Maintenance and hygiene have always been important for employee well-being, but the Corona crisis will provide an extra push in this direction. Offering a flexible workplace must still include a “clean desk” policy. Each user will need to clean up their workspace completely after use and leave it tidy. Users will also have access to individual keyboards and mice that they can store in personal lockers. This method existed before but met with a lot of resistance. The current crisis shows that the need for hygiene is a crucial argument for keeping our work environment clean and organized.
An opportunity to evolve
The Corona crisis forces us as organizations to evaluate the way we collaborate today. It is the perfect opportunity to adjust our workplace strategy, leadership in the organization, and organizational culture. We will also need to examine human behaviour in the workplace. This requires guidance, training, and coaching.
