Rethinking Your Operating Strategy

How flexwork and distance collaboration are reshaping work.

With recovery from the pandemic top of mind, businesses are asking: Should employees be allowed to continue working remotely? Two thirds of professionals are concerned about returning to the office, while nearly half only want to work part-time onsite, according to a survey by workplace safety tool maker Envoy. What’s more, roughly one in three say they will quit if they can’t work remotely, per job search service LiveCareer.

Ironically, with virtual roles having quickly become the standard, and rising flexibility in scheduling, work assignments and management models now established as operating reality, it may be a moot question. With many of the world’s largest firms having shifted to at-home operations and embraced the idea of flexwork (flexible working) and its more malleable workweeks and workplans, hybrid and remote options are here to stay.

Companies must fundamentally rethink their operating models to accommodate unexpected events and give employees greater latitude in how they perform their work. Firms also must place priority on employee satisfaction, and offer more flexibility in terms of individual perks, professional development, training and benefits, and HR policies to attract and retain top talent. There are several key areas of flexwork that organizations are embracing. Among them are:

Workplace Solutions

To promote safety and social distancing, many employers are bringing fewer employees into the office and staggering workers’ schedules to minimize the employees that are physically onsite. They are offering more choices in terms of days, times and hours during which work can be performed. Many are rethinking the role of the traditional office in driving productivity and communication, and reserving physical gatherings for collaboration, cross-functional meetings or teamwork activities. Workspaces are being redesigned with greater spacing between individuals, more contactless and touchless solutions, and more frequent cleaning. Many employers are also letting their employees work from home offices and furnishing workers with laptops, videocameras and high-speed Wi-Fi routers to facilitate remote connections.

To promote greater speed and convenience as well as safety, many firms are employing cost-affordable tech tools and structural redesigns to reimagine interpersonal exchanges, meetings, and everyday business exchanges. For example: Many tech retailers are using online apps and curbside pickups to facilitate transactions; hospitality providers are implementing solutions such as app-based tickets and registrations in lieu of manual check-ins; and videoconferencing and live streaming tools. Organizations are rethinking basic business processes to include more connected and virtual solutions.