The COVID-19 pandemic forced many organizations across the globe to adopt a work-from-home (WFH) mode of working since early 2020. While this was done in order to maintain social distancing at the workplace, many employees have since shifted their preferences toward WFH. There is a marked change in how they perceive an ideal work-life balance, bringing about a tectonic shift in workplace dynamics.
Additionally, challenges such as higher job insecurity and increasing demand for job personalization must be addressed to retain talent. This has made it imperative for organizations to employ different means for enhancing the overall employee experience. Adopting a flexible working culture and using more collaboration-focused technologies are some of the outcomes of this approach.
Augmenting employee experience with technological aids
Workflow management, pay benefits, and involvement in the organization’s vision and mission are just some elements that impact employee experience today. Companies need to adopt multiple channels for communicating with their staff to understand what they lack at the workplace and take quick actions to resolve them.
Alleviating challenges associated with WFH
Organizations would do well to start by furnishing employees with ergonomic workstations, introducing flexible working hours, and encouraging dedicated break times so that they can de-stress during the workday. Additionally, it is vital to accommodate an employee’s home commitments, especially relevant for women employees who may be disproportionately affected by additional familial responsibilities.
Fostering collaboration at the workplace
Managers need to be both transparent and open to feedback from their reporting team members. This is especially pertinent when managing a crisis or reporting concerns that are impacting deliverables. Companies can facilitate this manager-employee relationship by conducting dip-stick surveys, one-on-one meetings, and using team gatherings to gauge areas of improvement.
Empowering managers with accommodative HR policies
Policies related to work timing, weekly holiday management, and overtime allowances are areas where managers should be empowered to take a call on based on individual requirements. Organizations can also automate routine HR tasks by adopting digital tools and reducing the time required to perform them. Ultimately, any improvement in the work environment can be achieved only by according the highest priority to employee experience and empathetically working towards it.
Community Manager.