My team and I have spent the past year researching the best new ways to work. Thanks to a series of conversations with
Erica Volini, Senior Vice President of Global Alliances & Channel Ecosystem at Service Now, we began to consider, and ultimately put together, what I believe is a landmark white paper detailing workplace solutions for the post-pandemic corporate workforce.
(Want to skip the blog post and download the white paper directly?
Click here.)
In my opinion, this is an important paper for any corporate leader to read because it addresses two very timely questions:
- Why isn’t work working?
- How do we fix the many problems facing the workforce today?
Key Questions for Leaders
Companies
should not return to their former working model. Working from home opened many eyes to the possibilities of accomplishing tasks without commuting to a brick-and-mortar office. It proved that much office work doesn’t require an office at all. Consequently, leaders should listen to their workers to learn what they need to be productive — not necessarily what they need to return to the office.
Workers have been experiencing serious levels of burnout for three or four years now, and the pandemic has only exacerbated the problem. According to the 2021
Microsoft Work Trend Index Report,
54% of employees feel overworked, and 39% say they are exhausted. As a result, workers are looking for flexibility within the workplace. Leaders, this is your chance to improve your employees’ perspective of the office by implementing a hybrid workflow,
converting office space to new and better uses, getting rid of artificial engagement activities, banning unproductive over-connectivity, and more.
A hybrid work model increases productivity levels and job satisfaction by giving workers maximum opportunity to focus in the comfort and quiet of their homes.
At Focuswise, what we call (as shorthand) “the four C’s” (clarity, capacity, curiosity, and community) provide a framework for a healthy, focused, and productive way to work. Our white paper explains these concepts and offers manageable workplace solutions for each one.
Job satisfaction is crucial to
avoiding burnout. If workers aren’t satisfied with current working conditions, productivity will diminish. In the long run, corporate leaders need to find sustainable ways to re-engage office workers on their terms without sacrificing company culture. It can be a tricky line to walk, but engaging your workers as fellow human beings (and not merely as metrics) is the most effective way to move forward.
Download Our White Paper for Workplace Solutions
The questions (and answers) I’ve highlighted above only begin to scratch the surface of our comprehensive white paper. Additionally, you’ll find wonderful insights from Erica Volini, such as the concept of the “internal talent marketplace.” I thank her once again for the inspiring series of discussions we had.
You can download the white paper here:
Work Isn’t Working: New Solutions for Leadership and Productivity.
Let me know what you think of it in the comments below! I encourage you to pass this link to other leaders who could benefit from the solutions we have identified.
