Presence With a Purpose
A hot topic in the Talent Acquisition and Retention world right now revolves around working from home as an alternative for roles that were traditionally performed onsite. Quite a few roles were successfully performed from home during the pandemic, with little or no notice in advance of the transition. Now suddenly, we are imploring workers to return to the office. It is only logical for them to ask “why?” While “we do our best work in person” may be the answer we give, it sounds trite and it’s not compelling. To successfully regain commitment to onsite presence, we need a much more inspiring response.
Review Compensation
An important first step is to assess how much onsite presence really moves the needle on productivity. Of course, there are professions that have always required onsite presence and will likely continue to do so. Any role that involves touching another human being or operating large machinery will solidly remain “onsite” for the foreseeable future. However, leaders must also address the feelings of unfairness held by those who continue performing their daily commute to and from the workplace while others get to stay home. Commutes and after-hours get-togethers take a bigger toll on some demographics- particularly those acting as caregivers in their personal lives. Two approaches may be effective in soothing the feelings of unfairness while also easing the burden of a grueling commute. First, while compensating someone for time spent commuting to and from the workplace is seldom required by law, it may be worthwhile to choose to do so anyway. This may alleviate the frustration workers feel about wasting so much time on the road. Absorbing this expense will also encourage leaders to give a much closer look at the necessity of bringing workers onsite similar to how travel expenses have been justified as part of a budget in the past. Also consider offering reimbursement for childcare expenses during after-hours meetings and activities if it is not already offered. Acknowledging the burdens involved with onsite presence and alleviating them will make workers feel less like workhorses more like valued partners.
An important, first step is to assess how much onsite presence really moves the needle on productivity. “
Remove Micromanagement
Second, making the workplace itself a more inviting environment will be crucial. This includes not only providing a comfortable environment in terms of amenities and decor, but also ensuring that managers interact in more meaningful ways with workers. Many managers have vocalized a need to have their teams return onsite so they can fairly assess performance as well as ensure their teams are “actually working.” However, very few roles require onsite observation akin to a weightlifter’s spotter at the gym. Most micromanagers believe they are “just helping,” but few truly need to be physically present to stand guard against peril. Unless a worker is willing to speak up about having such a boss, micromanagement will be hard to catch. Prevent micromanagement early by identifying it during the selection process. Forgo hiring such a manager. Utilizing effective interviewing techniques such as Behavioral Based Interviewing (BBI) strategies, which are designed to tease out concrete examples of past behavior, should enable screeners to determine whether a management candidate spent their time hovering and smothering or by removing obstacles and providing necessary resources.
Keep a pulse on management effectiveness by conducing skip level one-on-one meetings. There will be many valuable outcomes from these meetings ranging from providing valuable access to leadership which will increase worker engagement, providing an opportunity to collect valuable 360-degree feedback and also allowing for a conversation which may uncover unproductive micromanagement behavior. During skip level meetings, leaders should ask for specific examples of how a worker’s manager is providing support. Like information shared during a BBI, the examples should demonstrate advocacy and support more so than command and control.
If the feedback gleaned from skip level interviews suggests that micromanagement is happening, intervene swiftly. First, determine why the behavior is occurring. Successful managers who lapse into micromanagement often do so from fear and uncertainty. Address whatever factors may be causing this, remind managers of the strategic objectives and vision for the future. Remind them that their role is to develop and empower rather than dictate and control. Newer managers may demonstrate micromanagement behavior by virtue of having performed the lower-level roles themselves and being uncertain about how to perform work in the capacity of an empowering manager rather than hands-on transactional worker. Coach them in how to set proper expectations and develop comfort with delegation.
Effective managers do not micromanage because they can clearly articulate expectations, deliverables, and timelines. They empower their teams to get things done, and they serve as a resource to remove obstacles that get in the way of performance. At times, a spotter may be needed, but managers should be held accountable for justifying the need to physically observe their teams.
Revisit Schedules
Reflecting on the roles that successfully transitioned from onsite to remote with very little notice during the pandemic, many of those teams were previously working together day after day, with relationships already established. Many workers have shared that they miss the water cooler conversations, and they also miss interacting with people outside of their own teams. But, can these relationships only be established during a rigid 9 am (or sometimes even 8 am) to 5 pm schedule every Monday through Friday? Are clients or patients attended to during these operating hours? If so, then it makes sense to utilize such a schedule because it serves a purpose. If not, can we be more flexible than 5 days per week, 8/9-5? Some workers want, and may even need, to use the office as a place to get work done. Others may crave the connection with others. For those people, the office is a very valuable tool. It doesn’t hurt to remind them that this tool is available to them.
Of course, there is something to be said for healthy, productive human interaction. Work lacking human interaction can often be performed by machines. Roles performed by humans are done more effectively through strong relationships. Relationship building is best facilitated in person. Nuances observed in an onsite conversation are lost via technology- even our cameras usually restrict us to a neck-up view. Even global employers, who were early adopters of remote work, still conducted in person team meetings from time to time to facilitate relationship building. We typically bond with others by being near them, having common interests and participating in mutually exciting activities. This is where onsite presence has an advantage over working from home. It is easier to meet new people and make new friends in person. It is widely known that having friends at work is a key driver for productivity and success.
It may be challenging to get everyone excited about coming onsite for purposes of socialization, especially those who are already onsite for a full-time schedule. Make socialization fun and exciting. Rather than sending an entire department out for a dedicated “team building” activity, replicate “the water cooler” by opening team building activities up based on personal interest. Whoever enjoys cooking can attend a cooking class together and make new connections and friends outside of their departments. Lateral connections have proven to be very valuable for engagement and performance.
Presence with a Purpose
Many workers want to know why they are required to be onsite, at a particular time and place, to complete their work. Helping to alleviate the inconvenience of onsite presence via compensation, amenities and flexible schedules may help get workers back inside the building, but the biggest impact will come from painting an inspiring picture of the purpose of someone’s presence. Remind workers that they are valued by showing your commitment to their growth and development. Be willing to be flexible, when possible, with onsite requirements. If a dictate must be made, a clear description of its purpose will go a long way in building good will, commitment and performance. However, an invitation is always better received than a dictate.
