Are Today’s Remote Work Challenges New Issues or Magnified Versions of the Same Culture Issues from the Office?
My recent LinkedIn Poll results are telling:
đź“Š Poll Results:
Of the 75 people that responded, 68% agree remote work challenges are just magnified versions of the issues that existed in the office already.
đź’ˇ My Thoughts:
These results support my working theory that it’s not necessarily WHERE we work that’s the underlying issue, as much as it is HOW we work together. I believe it’s a culture issue.
So that begs the question: Is all the recent activity on Return to Office (RTO) mandates solving a problem or causing more problems? 🤔
Would leaders’ time and efforts be better spent on addressing how to improve their culture, regardless of where they work?
I’ve seen remote management work extremely well with previous clients who are operating 100% remotely and maintaining thriving cultures with strong employee engagement. 🌟
It CAN work, but it’s interesting to see how previously outspoken proponents of remote work like Amazon, Dell, and Salesforce are willing to do an about-face to mandate some teams, or in some cases, all teams, return to in-office work full-time.
This abrupt change in direction has created real trust issues. Employees are going online saying they can no longer trust what their leaders say, and as we know in any relationship, work or otherwise, Trust is a Must. 🔍
🧠Employee Satisfaction is at Stake:
- Dell’s employee net promoter score dropped from 62 to 48 after their RTO policy change.
- Amazon’s RTO policy received a 1.4 out of 5 rating from employees.
The disconnect is real. Previously, Forbes had found that 76% of employees are willing to quit over RTO mandates, yet many companies are surprised by high attrition rates.
Even though almost 70% of all respondents agreed with our statement in our poll, there was a gap between the groups on how much they agreed. Groups that were assumed to be primarily comprised of CX managers and leaders agreed up to 23% less than the groups that were assumed to be mostly employees or HR managers.
🚪 If You Do Have to Mandate an RTO Policy, Personal Autonomy Matters:
Unispace’s study shows that people are more open to RTO if it’s by choice and for the right reasons.
🤝 Leaderships’ Approach on This is Crucial:
Although Amazon’s CEO, Andy Jassey, didn’t offer a choice, he used what I call the “osmosis effect” as his reasoning in his statement to his employees, saying:
“We’ve observed that it’s easier for our teammates to learn, model, practice, and strengthen our culture; collaborating, brainstorming, and inventing are simpler and more effective; teaching and learning from one another are more seamless; and, teams tend to be better connected to one another.”
Brian Niccol, the new Starbucks CEO, took a different approach, adding the element of choice, emphasizing autonomy and intent in his statement saying:
“This is not a game of tracking. This is a game of winning. I care about seeing everybody here succeed, and if success requires us being together more often than not, let’s be together more often.”
“My point of view is we should be together as much as possible. You need to figure out where you need to be to get your job done, and then do that… We’re all adults here.”
Focusing on your mission and the higher purpose while treating people like adults and giving them a choice is an effective approach to this subject. 🎯
If you have decided on a Hybrid policy, a tip is to take advantage of their time in the office.
📝 Schedule activities that benefit being in a live environment together, like brainstorming sessions, roundtables, team-building events, or training. 🧠🤝
🔑 The Takeaway:
Whether remote or in-office, the key is creating an effective culture of engagement. Our Cs of Success culture framework can help you address these underlying cultural issues, regardless of work location, and improve company results.
This post was submitted by Adam Boelke, a CCNG Academy member who helps fellow members and leaders optimize call center performance and establish a culture of engagement that drives bottom-line results.
