Thanks to everyone who attended the [R]evolution of Work session with Rod Miller on May 11th. Rod shared some challenges for HR leaders and how we must rethink our models of leadership to step into the future. Read on for some session highlights.
63% of employees in Canada are currently looking for a new job. This shocking statistic is related to our post-pandemic world where employees are asking what is important to them as people, if they are indeed making a difference in their job, and wondering if they will be recognized.
At the same time, employers are experiencing tension between moving to a new world of work or moving back to their comfort zone. While trying to figure out what steps to take, 70% of organizations say that they don’t know the skill sets of their executive teams or employees.
What can you do as an organization to thrive in this new environment? Rod shared a framework for [r]evolving your workplace.
Pay Attention to Mental Health
Mental health has emerged as the number one issue for employers and employees alike. Employees are looking for a true, authentic connection with their workplace and leaders. They want to feel like they belong and know that they are making an impact.
To support mental health, managers need to connect with employees on a very regular basis, and show authenticity, compassion and vulnerability.
Financial Health in this period of inflationary pressure and increasing interest rates is a significant driver of employee mental health concerns. Talking about concern over money is challenging. Engaging in supportive conversations can be as simple as starting with “I noticed that you mentioned having a lot of stress lately and that this is impacting you. Are you comfortable sharing what’s going on in your life?”.
You can’t always solve the problem, but you are letting the team member know that you care about their wellbeing.
Create a sense of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
Returning to the workplace continues to be an immediate challenge. On one hand, the pandemic taught us that we don’t have to commute. On the other, we realized the importance of human connection and that we are a social species.
Employees want an experience, so pull people back with something that’s different. Build a workplace culture that creates connections through fun and engagement so that people who are choosing to work at home feel a sense of missing out on what’s happening at work.
Rethink Our Model of Leadership
To train leaders to lead the teams of the future, we have to rethink the model of leadership. 90% of HR leaders say that to succeed in the future, leaders need to operate in a more human way. How we have led in the past is not going to work anymore, and it’s important for employees to know that their organization and leader sees them as a person, not just an employee.
The CARE Model outlines the elements of leadership that can drive engagement and a sense of belonging. At the heart of the model is leaders who care about their people and who put the health and wellbeing of their teams at the forefront of work.
Equity
The desire for flexibility has created tension. What works for some employees might not work for all. For example, remote work in retail or manufacturing sectors obviously is not possible for some employees.
Organizations should ask if they are building non-inclusive cultures if they attempt to step backwards into the exact same model of work that was used before.
There is an opportunity to co-create or co-design a work arrangement that builds equity. Using daily touchpoints, leveraging technology, leaning in on trust that employees will do the work, and talking openly about how employees can set boundaries to preserve their off-work time can lead to new solutions.
In order to create an organization where everyone feels like they belong, we need to take a wholistic approach to how we engage talent. Engage with Rod! You can book an introductory meeting with Rod by clicking https://calendly.com/rodpmiller/introduction-call-virtual.
Download the slides to the presentation here :