We are all witnesses and participants in the English expression: “May you live in interesting times.”
Eighteen months ago, who could have anticipated the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought an immediate shift for many people to work remotely. During this time, organizations hired many people who had not yet stepped into the office building of their new employer. Also, many new hires have not yet met their manager or coworkers – except through virtual meetings. As a result, many people are eager to get back to the office, meet new and returning coworkers, and reconnect with the aspects of organizational culture that come alive through onsite and in-person interactions.
In contrast, while leaders are preparing to bring people back to the office under a new hybrid onsite/remote model, many people have reservations about returning. These employees voice concerns that they should be able to continue to work remotely and not be required to give up the flexibility and work/life balance they gained over the past 18 months.
To add to this challenge, people are changing jobs at a rate never seen before. According to US Labor statistics, four million people quit their jobs in July – and more are considering changing jobs with record low unemployment at 5.2% in September. Plus, LinkedIn reported that the number of remote jobs posted on their site increased 8.5 times compared with pre-pandemic.
All these dynamics are creating what is known as the “hybrid paradox” amid the “great reshuffle.”
As people seek remote work and greater flexibility, how can leaders guide their teams through the turbulence of the interesting times we live and work? We believe it’s through change management.
On October 27th, I will host a webinar with BrainStorm, a provider of technology solutions that help increase user adoption. Here is what you’ll learn:
- How to accelerate and revitalize new-hire onboarding
- How to improve access to training and skills development
- How to invest in new technologies that support business operations
- Tips for deploying employee experience analytics
