If there is one thing that everyone agrees on, it’s that the new normal will be the golden era of “hybrid working”: a combination of remote and office-based work that can meet varied needs from both employees and employers.

However, that’s where the agreement ends. Companies are asking: what do we need to do to make hybrid working work? What’s more important – equipment or policy? And will our company culture allow it?

Hybrid working is not a transition back to pre-COVID norms. It’s a new opportunity that can help organisations leverage the best of both worlds.

What we’ve found is that hybrid working is different from either remote working or “normal” office life, in terms of technology, collaboration, human capability and workspace. But with some careful planning, smart use of technology and the adoption of effective collaboration solutions, the hybrid working model may truly represent a new and improved future of work. Here are five things to consider.

1. Employees need tools that are purpose-built for hybrid working. When the crisis first hit, organisations scrambled to provide remote working technologies using whatever tools were available at the time, often with jury-rigged solutions that originally assumed to be temporary. Effective long-term hybrid working will require purpose-built, ultra-portable devices that allow employees to work anywhere. Features such as smart stand-by and long battery power will become much more important, because these features allow easy transitions between home, office, and everywhere in between.

In particular, hybrid working means more multitasking. A PC alone has limited multitasking capability, so it will be important to free up its resources for uninterrupted productive work, while personal assistant devices such as Lenovo’s ThinkSmart View handle collaborative and administrative aspects.

2. Office environments play a key role in creating connections with the dispersed workforce: Having an office space that is optimised for a hybrid working model is important to facilitate a dispersed workforce. When colleagues in an office huddle room can quickly and securely dial in a remote teammate, silo thinking is reduced. Devices such as the ThinkSmart Hub facilitate this kind of safe, collaborative environment.

Effective long-term hybrid working will require purpose-built, ultra-portable devices that allow employees to work anywhere.

3. Up-front planning is worth the extra effort: The dynamic pandemic situation, coupled with having a fleet of devices connected within and outside of your network using various applications and devices, have made IT environments a lot more complex. It can save headaches later on to engage an external IT service provider at an early stage. The right partner can help deploy devices, configure workspaces, and design a centralised IT management system. This frees up internal resources to focus on more strategic matters.

4. Ad hoc, personal communication is just as important as official communication: When teams don’t meet in person, many organisations have turned to official “town hall” meetings or mass emails to keep colleagues informed.

However, close integration of teams happens just as much through informal, ad hoc discussions as through official channels. Is your office set up to ensure these can happen on the fly? Both working practices and technology need to be carefully arranged to meet this need.

5. Hybrid working is most effective when corporate policy is updated to match the reality: Hybrid teams are different from fully remote teams and require different policies. It is important to establish IT and HR policies that make it clear how and where employees are allowed to work and which digital tools and equipment will be provided, as well as working hours, ground rules, and expectations. Employees will more easily thrive in a hybrid working environment when they have access to training resources on how to use new tools, and when cybersecurity hygiene is properly implemented.

The new normal will be the golden era of “hybrid working”: a combination of remote and office-based work that can meet varied needs from both employees and employers.

Hybrid working is not a transition back to pre-COVID norms. It’s a new opportunity that can help organisations leverage the best of both worlds. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and some restructuring may be necessary, finding the right balance can help maximise productivity, employee satisfaction, and corporate success.

Image Source: Pexels

The post What makes “hybrid working” a success? 5 things to consider in a post-COVID world appeared first on Inside HR.

The past year has been a torrid one for many businesses – and HR professionals have been in the thick of it. They have helped employers implement remote working policies and kept communication channels open at a time of unprecedented disruption and uncertainty. And, as the economic downturn has continued to bite, they have tackled the difficult task of letting good people go.

Great employee engagement makes tough assignments like these easier. It can also boost productivity and improve morale across an organisation. Both will be critical for Australian enterprises this year as they collectively tackle the challenge of rebuilding markets and profitability in the wake of the COVID downturn.

There is no hard-and-fast definition of “skill gap”; however, it can be described as deficiencies in performance caused by lack of prowess.

There is plenty of work to do. Australia’s GDP plunged a record 7 per cent in the June quarter of 2020 and although it is since rebounded, Australia’s Reserve Bank governor has warned businesses and individuals to expect an “uneven and drawn out” recovery.

Data analytics – the process of collecting and analysing raw data to produce conclusions and actionable insights – can be a valuable tool for HR departments as they galvanise employees for the battle and keep them focused on growing revenue and profitability.

Here are a few ways local HR departments can put analytics to use.

Make it easy for employees to seek help
Regardless of the touchpoint used, employees should be able to raise requests easily. Ensure your help forms are comprehensive, concise, and well-organised to collect all necessary information from employees so that service reps can provide speedy, satisfactory resolutions. Review the number of back-and-forth conversations between service reps and employees to understand if your help forms are truly helpful. Too many back-and-forth conversations indicate that your support forms do not collect necessary information, so your service reps have to reach out to employees several times.

Data analytics – the process of collecting and analysing raw data to produce conclusions and actionable insights – can be a valuable tool for HR departments as they galvanise employees for the battle and keep them focused on growing revenue and profitability.

Use first contact to keep employees informed
For employees, nothing is worse than raising a request and waiting endlessly for it to be resolved. One way to manage employee expectations is to set them on first contact, providing clear and realistic deadlines for resolution—especially when the request cannot be resolved on first contact. This will help employees prioritise and schedule their activities, and ensure they remain productive even as they wait for their requests to be completed. Use AI-enabled predictions to understand the time taken to complete requests and convey projected turnaround times to your employees.

Empower employees with effective self-service options
According to Gartner, 70 per cent of users prefer self-service technical support to working with a support rep. Unfortunately, only nine percent of users are able to resolve their issues using self-service. Even so, do not hesitate to invest time and money in creating self-service options for employees—it empowers employees to resolve their own issues and cuts down your workload. Once you’ve created enough self-service manuals, be sure to evaluate them periodically to ensure they’re effective and efficient.

Identify and troubleshoot process bottlenecks
Process bottlenecks are the silent killers of productivity. Analyse your processes thoroughly and see if requests are getting held up in the pipeline or bouncing among HR staff due to excessive workload, lack of skill, high demand of services, or other discernible factors such as unavailability of resources. With the issues identified, take steps to resolve them at the earliest.

Promote healthy competition within the team
Always encourage HR personnel to go the extra mile and provide personalised solutions to employees. Create dashboards to track HR performance and foster a healthy spirit of competition. Provide non-monetary rewards, send out thank-you emails, set up brainstorming sessions, create team-based activities, and encourage your staff to resolve employee problems as a team when the situation calls for it. Reward star performers and encourage the others to be more creative and innovative in their roles.

Identify skill gaps early on and train staff to close those gaps
There is no hard-and-fast definition of “skill gap”; however, it can be described as deficiencies in performance caused by lack of prowess. So how do you identify skill gaps? Build key performance indicators to determine how your HR staff contribute to your team or the business. Use employee reviews, 360-degree performance evaluations, peer observations, and performance benchmarks to identify star performers and those who need training. Then provide training to help your staff improve their skill set.

Regardless of the touchpoint used, employees should be able to raise requests easily. Ensure your help forms are comprehensive, concise, and well-organised to collect all necessary information from employees so that service reps can provide speedy, satisfactory resolutions.

Helping steer your organisation towards a stronger future
A company is only as good as its people and, in tough times, a top team can mean the difference between sinking and swimming. Data analytics can be deployed to help your people management division function more efficiently and get your workforce at large working more effectively. In 2021, it’s an investment that may pay for itself many times over.

Image Source: Pexels

The post How data analytics could help your HR department operate more effectively in 2021 appeared first on Inside HR.

Data is the prerequisite to making well-informed and accurate decisions; but what is data without a data-literate workforce? When these two elements work in tandem, organisations are prepared to extract greater value out of data, make well-informed decisions and boost productivity across the board. More importantly, as we’ve seen, it enables businesses to stay agile and resilient against unpredictable forces that may otherwise knock them over.

As businesses attempt to navigate market uncertainty, high competition, a shrinking talent pool and an increasingly digitised workplace, having the skills to interpret and produce actionable insights from said data are critical. According to a recent report by Qlik, Australian businesses with a higher aptitude for data decision-making improved their revenue, profits, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction by an average of 21 per cent.

Achieving these outcomes starts by putting people at the heard of your data strategy. Alarmingly, almost $14 billion is lost in productivity due to Australian businesses failing to capitalise on the value of data. This comes as no surprise when almost three-quarters (74 per cen) of employees reported feeling overwhelmed or unhappy when working with data according to The Human Impact of Data Literacy report.

The workplace should be a continuous learning environment where training is both accessible and integrated into existing practices. Doing so will enable organisations to extract the most value from their data – a highly advantageous capability in today’s business landscape.

Initiatives like data literacy training and re-educating empowers employees with the right knowledge and tools to interact with data effectively. As massive amounts of data are generated by organisations every day, they must be able to operate with agility and resilience in a dynamic environment. It’s vital that companies invest in their workforce by enhancing the data skills of employees to prepare for the workplace of tomorrow.

Here are a few ways workplaces can get started on their data journey.

1. Appoint a data champion/ambassador to instil a data literate culture

Leadership is a critical piece of this puzzle. Although it’s definitely not a one-person job, it starts with a senior role model, typically a Chief Data Officer (CDO) or Chief Information Officer (CIO), taking ownership and understanding where the challenges lie and identifying opportunities to improve data access across the organisation. A data champion must be appointed to establish a change management plan and set clear expectations for data-oriented working practices.

Applying these expectations to every level and function in an organisation helps hold individuals accountable for their progression in upskilling and learning outcomes. It is this mutual agreement that fosters a data literate culture.

2. Assess the existing data literacy skills in the workforce

To build an effective data strategy that alleviates pain points requires a thorough assessment of the existing data literacy skills in the workforce. This can be achieved through a number of ways such as conducting focus groups to understand current attitudes towards data and undertaking a data literacy assessment to measure fundamental skills like reading and numeracy. Obtaining information through these methods helps paint an accurate picture of what stage in the data journey an organisation is in.

3. Empower data literacy skills with the right tools and training

It is important to recognise that data serves different purposes depending on the user’s role and skills. Adopting tools to cater for these variations ensures teams are most effectively engaging with data. Reducing the typical frustrations experienced like complex tools or siloed data sources when working with data also encourages adoption. To select the right tools for each practice, it needs to be fit for purpose, and translate data so that it is easily digestible and be embedded into existing software so that insights are easily integrated.

Initiatives like data literacy training and re-educating empowers employees with the right knowledge and tools to interact with data effectively. As massive amounts of data are generated by organisations every day, they must be able to operate with agility and resilience in a dynamic environment.

Just like how new insights are constantly gleaned through different methods, skills must be constantly updated to be reinforced. The workplace should be a continuous learning environment where training is both accessible and integrated into existing practices. Doing so will enable organisations to extract the most value from their data – a highly advantageous capability in today’s business landscape.

Data literacy is fundamental to data-driven decision making. Organisations must prioritise empowering employees to comfortably and confidently use data. By putting people at the heart of their data strategy, businesses are better prepared to deal with adversity and market uncertainty – a state which we are yet to emerge.

Image Source: Pexels

The post The cause and effect of lost productivity and poor data literacy in Australia, and how to overcome it appeared first on Inside HR.

2020 has been the year of rapid digital transformation initiatives with businesses taking large steps to achieve greater flexibility for employees and also more agile systems to respond to this change. Research from McKinsey found, 85 per cent of companies have accelerated the digitisation of their business since the beginning of the pandemic.

The idea of the ‘Future Enterprise’ is a key goal of organisations, meaning they need to prove their ability to thrive in their newly acquired digital native culture. One key factor in reaching this goal is developing a strong trust agenda with employees and other stakeholders – and this starts in the (virtual) boardroom.

Every organisation’s culture and workforce is unique, and building an effective security strategy is a personalised task. Many organisations are still building the foundation for economic recovery – and it starts with adopting seamless identity tools to empower the employee experience.

Boardroom discussions need to prioritise security, particularly identity and access management’s (IAM) role in supporting not only the organisation but employees in adjusting to the new digital landscape. With remote working arrangements now becoming the norm, reduced visibility of or accessibility to employees should not compromise trust and security. Building trust upon a strategic approach to IT security is an enabler for better business outcomes as both internal and external stakeholders are invested in its success.

The ripple effect of security
Arguably one of the most important aspects of a company is corporate identity; however, to properly safeguard this, companies must protect the identity of every employee first. The value of security, particularly IAM is often underestimated and under-resourced in organisations – 80 per cent of passwords are caused by old, reused passwords – leading to a crisis of digital trust.

The lack of resources often means the issue of security is left to the already burdened head of IT, which is the case for 80 per cent of organisations according to a report from LastPass. Furthermore, employees are consistently failing to recognise malicious activity – phishing remained the most common method of credential theft in the latest OAIC Notifiable Data Breaches report. In order to properly emphasise the importance of security, dedicated leaders need to have board level conversations about moving the security strategy from being system or device-focused, to new control points of data, application and identity for a more comprehensive approach.

To protect an organisation from the rapid acceleration of threats in this new working environment, identity tools need to be seamlessly integrated into the digital experience. Strategic investment in security will see greater trust built between employees and employers as they will feel protected whilst navigating the digital environment.

Adapting to the digital world
At the height of the pandemic in Australia, working from home quickly became the new normal meaning employees needed easy access to company systems remotely. This placed immense pressure on IT teams to adequately manage levels of access and security at scale, and cyber criminals know this.

The increase of remote working forced lines between personal lives and work to become blurred. By introducing new devices to a company network, constantly switching between personal and work apps or accessing accounts via insecure means, hackers can easily obtain personal passwords that are used to access to an organisation’s systems and proprietary assets.

Strategic investment in security will see greater trust built between employees and employers as they will feel protected whilst navigating the digital environment.

To build digital trust, it is essential that companies invest in proper IT infrastructure to enable seamless remote working and maintain productivity levels. The same research from LastPass found that the banking and financial services industry (BFSI) employees were affected the most, where 72 per cent demanded remote access but only 32 per cent deployed it. Yet there is value in delivering on secure remote connectivity, with 44 per cent of BFSI respondents cited productivity gains (from working remotely) and more than half for the telecommunications / transportation and public sectors.

To uplift an organisation’s IAM posture, IT teams and security leaders need to provide frictionless solutions that help employees access the right information across multiple apps and devices wherever they are. It is far more effective to build a security-first culture than to purchase as many identity management applications as possible. In this case, more is not better. By eliminating any friction that may discourage employees from doing the right thing, employees will experience fewer disruptions switching between applications and become more inspired at work.

Boardroom discussions need to prioritise security, particularly identity and access management’s (IAM) role in supporting not only the organisation but employees in adjusting to the new digital landscape.

Cementing the trust relationship
Stakeholders need to see organisations taking real action to respond to current issues and preparing for potential threats. Developing a strong security strategy which utilises key identity and access management tools is essential to a strong business resiliency plan.

Every organisation’s culture and workforce is unique, and building an effective security strategy is a personalised task. Many organisations are still building the foundation for economic recovery – and it starts with adopting seamless identity tools to empower the employee experience. Organisations who succeed in engendering trust with their employees, internal and external stakeholders will reap benefits of a more favourable perception and more rewarding business engagements.

Image Source: Pexels

The post Building trust in the digital workplace appeared first on Inside HR.

COVID-19 has certainly been a catalyst for change in the HR industry. Sage’s ‘The changing face of HR’ research report found that more than eight-in-ten (86 per cent) UK based HR professionals thought a digital transformation of this calibre would take up to 10 years to achieve.

Despite the mad scramble HR teams endured to establish our new normal, it is likely our work-from-home arrangement will remain in place. Gartner research tells us that 41 per cent of employees will likely work remotely at least part of the time after COVID-19, compared to 30 per cent pre-pandemic. To improve on our new normal and ensure it is sustainable, HR must embrace further digital transformation.

Thanks to technologies like analytics, automation, self-service and cloud, HR leaders can transition from being process-focused to people-focused.

Fortunately, there are an abundance of technologies that can help organisations navigate uncertainty and improve processes. Automation, mobile and cloud are just some of the tools that can streamline enterprise functions and help HR and People teams become more adaptive, flexible, and agile.

A need for speed
Throughout the pandemic, employees turned to their HR leaders for guidance on how to navigate forward. Data-driven decision-making, authentic two-way personalised communication, and a significant focus on health, wellbeing and building great remote experiences are no longer a nice to have but a must accommodate for. They ensure employees are supported and engaged, and that the company can remain resilient.

HR is built around change. From new hires to a new payroll month, HR leaders need to remain agile and adaptable.

Yet, on-premise, outdated legacy systems struggle to keep up with the rapid pace of change in today’s remote working world, where employees need to be able to access technology anywhere, anytime. If an organisation needs to adapt its business model or rehire a portion of its staff, HR will not have the time to manually key in all that information across a myriad of spreadsheets. On-premise HR solutions have become redundant with remote working employees who have no way of accessing them.

Automation is people power
Time poor HR leaders are striving to maximise their productivity. Yet mundane, repetitive tasks have proven to be considerable time wasters. Where HR practitioners should be focused on measures that increase collaboration and agility, they’re losing precious time hunting for data, for example to approve leave requests.

Automation can be the solution, providing HR leaders with the speed and capacity required to free them from admin and repetitive low value processes. By applying automation throughout the entire employment lifecycle, organisations can free up valuable HR time, deliver a more engaging workforce experience and boost productivity across the business. Around 60 per cent of workers could automate almost a third of their jobs and responsibilities according to McKinsey.

Destined for change
HR is built around change. From new hires to a new payroll month, HR leaders need to remain agile and adaptable. Yet, navigating today’s unprecedented changes can be challenging if they do not have a clear understanding of the organisation’s transformation vision, how it is performing or what its people need most.

Data-driven decision-making, authentic two-way personalised communication, and a significant focus on health, wellbeing and building great remote experiences are no longer a nice to have but a must accommodate for.

The change-leaders of the organisation have an enormous opportunity to harness the latest tools to emerge more resilient, adaptive, agile and stronger from the crisis. Thanks to technologies like analytics, automation, self-service and cloud, HR leaders can transition from being process-focused to people-focused. They can make a real difference in employees’ working lives and have a demonstratable impact on the bottom line.

Image Source: Unsplash

The post Reaching the full potential of HR through automation appeared first on Inside HR.

2020 is the year of many things – for the office, it’s become the year of the flexible worker. Originally an option rarely taken up by employees, flexible working has since become a necessary experiment, and now the preferred style of working for many.

Even as much of Australia begins to slowly move back into the office, with many states now opening up, there is consensus that remote working is here to stay. A recent survey estimated that remote work is set to remain 69 per cent higher post-COVID in New South Wales, with NSW workers indicating they “want the best of both worlds”.

Understanding the real anxieties of today’s flexible worker
For human resources practitioners, the split of workers being at home versus the office may be tricky to manage, especially as many workers grapple with integrating home office functions. Research from Lenovo has found that in just May to July this year, Australians have spent an entire $2.3 billion of their own money on technology, so they can do their jobs normally while working remotely.

COVID-19 has permanently changed the office dynamic, HR must compel decision makers to invest in technology in order to lessen the financial and mental strain on those employees who make their living from the home office.

Even going past this eye-watering figure, HR must also keep in mind the general anxieties felt by Australians while working from home. Among the 85 per cent of Australians who worry while working remotely, most common for office workers is persisting technology challenges at 42 per cent, followed by maintaining relationships with colleagues (38 per cent) and then issues around job insecurity (33 per cent) rounding out the top three.

When we deep dive into these persisting tech issues, we find the usual suspects. More than a third claim that internet connection issues is the main problem they have when working from home. An inability to contact I.T. when needed came in second at 31 per cent and difficulties connecting to office networks followed closely behind at 28 per cent.

Contrary to popular belief, millennial workers are far more likely to report having technology challenges than their Baby Boomers colleagues – with 86 per cent of Millennials having tech issues versus 63 per cent of Baby Boomers. In addition, younger Australians are more likely to seek tech support from other colleagues versus actual IT teams – coming in at 91 per cent against 65 per cent of Baby Boomers who would ask a teammate to help.

Alleviating the financial and tech pressures of flexible working
Although these figures perhaps aren’t surprising, they are concerning. Lenovo’s survey found that Australians working from home spent, on average, $1,138 each just to do their jobs. This financial strain coupled with persistent technology issues results in unhappy and stressed employees. We in the HR community need to remedy this, especially as the working from home trend is set to continue.

The fact of the matter is that remote working must go hand-in-hand with technology support. Those in HR and leadership need to ensure their staff can access the right technology and support to truly maximise the productivity benefits of flexible working.

HR must consider providing technology and offer better IT support for workers who choose to work remotely. Investments must be made in newer technologies for remote workers in order to limit frustrations and provide seamless working conditions that emulate the office.

Look to invest in more up-to-date devices like laptops and mobile phones, as well as Wi-Fi dongles if an employee states that they have regular Internet issues, or if their household has many people working from home at once. For those who have spent their own money in upgrading their equipment, offer to reimburse where appropriate.

When providing newer and better technology, couple this with up-to-date training so your workers can use it immediately and without hassle. Close to half of those surveyed stated that training on new technologies and how to use these effectively can help them with their jobs going forward.

When there are technology issues, look to provide quick and personal support, from not only from the IT team but from human resources themselves. The job for IT has become much more complex and more strained in recent months and if HR can support, this would help rectify many tech issues which are often quite easy to solve.

The fact of the matter is that remote working must go hand-in-hand with technology support. Those in HR and leadership need to ensure their staff can access the right technology and support to truly maximise the productivity benefits of flexible working.

With Australian workplaces likely to remain split between the office and home, it is imperative for human resources and IT to team up to ensure a seamless experience for those working from home. COVID-19 has permanently changed the office dynamic, HR must compel decision makers to invest in technology in order to lessen the financial and mental strain on those employees who make their living from the home office.

Key takeaways –

• Flexible working is now the norm and HR needs to support those working from home.
• Australians have spent $2.3 billion of their own money on technology in the last three months alone.
• HR must consider offering IT hardware and support for remote office workers
• This will reduce financial anxiety and improve productivity and staff happiness.

Image Source: Pexels

The post Technology – the emerging work benefit for today’s flexible employee appeared first on Inside HR.

More than six months into remote working and the initial novelty has well and truly been replaced by collective fatigue. Isolation from colleagues, feeling like we’re ‘always on’, and the stresses of home-schooling have combined to create extremely challenging conditions for workers, both physically and mentally.

In fact, according to Springfox’s latest study, The Australian Workforce Response to COVID-19, the biggest cause of heightened stress for 55 per cent of respondents was changes to ways of working – which includes having to adapt to new technologies and dealing with blurred boundaries between work and home. As a result, many workers are now finding themselves on the brink of burning out.

It can be near impossible to spot the signs of burnout in a virtual workforce, especially when leaders are unsure of what to look out for. Despite this, in order for organisations to survive and thrive through the pandemic and beyond, employee wellbeing should be a priority for leaders everywhere. If you’re wondering how to identify the signs of burnout in a remote workforce, consider these indicators.

As we move into 2021, it’s highly likely we’ll see a delayed effect of burnout and mental illness sweep across our workforce, as we grapple with the transition into a post-COVID world.

They’re online for long hours
Extended or unusual work hours can be one of the most telling signs of someone experiencing burnout. If you notice your staff logging on very early in the morning or remaining online until late into the evening, it could be a sign that they’re feeling overwhelmed or struggling with their workload.

Some organisations allow staff the flexibility to start earlier or work later depending on their preference, but it’s important to ensure staff are choosing these hours rather than feeling they have no choice. Encourage staff not to stay online any longer than necessary and consider re-evaluating priorities so your team understand which tasks can be left for the next day. Leaders should also lead by example and log off at a reasonable time, and avoid sending emails after 6pm.

They appear fatigued during video calls
Video calls can offer very important insight into how your staff are coping. If an employee frequently appears noticeably fatigued or worn out, it might be a sign that they’re under excessive stress. You should also take notice of body language and facial expressions, such as slumping or resting their head in their hands, or appearing frustrated or sad, as these can also point to burnout.

Leaders should endeavour to check in with staff frequently, especially those who appear to be struggling. If the underlying cause of their exhaustion is work-related, leaders should consider ways to support the employee to alleviate undue stress – this could include temporarily reducing their workload, connecting them to the organisation’s EAP program, or encouraging a mental health day to rest and recover.

They don’t log off to take breaks
Working from home has undoubtedly blurred the lines between work and life, with many of us finding we now work and relax in the same space. But if it seems your staff rarely log off to take breaks throughout the day, it could be a sign they’re overworking – or feeling pressured to do so.

Remote working has, in many cases, rid us of our usual daily routines – which means having a coffee in the break room or ducking out for lunch with a colleague is now no longer on the cards. Nevertheless, remind staff of their break entitlements and encourage them to use them fully, especially while working from home. It’s also important for leaders to lead by example and ensure they’re taking regular breaks themselves, so that staff feel comfortable to do the same.

Encourage staff not to stay online any longer than necessary and consider re-evaluating priorities so your team understand which tasks can be left for the next day.

Their productivity is declining
High levels of stress and mental fatigue have a direct negative impact on productivity. Staff who are experiencing these symptoms are likely to feel disengaged and have trouble concentrating on their work, meaning they’re more likely to drop the ball or make uncharacteristic errors.

Leaders should demonstrate compassion and empathy when broaching the subject of performance with staff by acknowledging the impact of the shift to remote working, and discussing ways the employee may feel more supported to do their best work.

These are some of the more common indicators of burnout, however it’s important for leaders to remain attentive to their team’s wellbeing to ensure other signs are not missed. While burnout in the remote workforce is, in many ways, a result of the unique circumstances facing organisations and their people this year, leaders should be very mindful that this won’t simply end in 2020. Rather, as we move into 2021, it’s highly likely we’ll see a delayed effect of burnout and mental illness sweep across our workforce, as we grapple with the transition into a post-COVID world.

Leaders should endeavour to check in with staff frequently, especially those who appear to be struggling. If the underlying cause of their exhaustion is work-related, leaders should consider ways to support the employee to alleviate undue stress.

Just because your team is working remotely, doesn’t mean you should discount professional learning and development programs either. Our research has shown formal resilience training programs deliver a 30 per cent reduction, on average, in anxiety and depression symptoms, and there are many ways these programs can be delivered to remote working teams.

After all, there’s never been a more important time to build the strength and resilience of your greatest asset – your staff.

Image Source: Pexels

The post How to spot the signs of burnout in a remote workforce appeared first on Inside HR.

If there is one thing we’ve come to realise in 2020, it’s that the show must go on. Despite Covid-19’s curveballs, majority of businesses across the country have responded with great dexterity.  As we head into 2021, we can anticipate that our work from home arrangement will remain. Findings from research firm McCrindle reveal that 78 per cent of Australians want to spend at least a certain amount of time working from home in future.

With employees adjusting to our new normal, industries may begin to see an increase in job turnover. Retaining top talent now will be critical to a business’ success in future. For this reason, it is vital that business leaders consider how all aspects of a workplace may impact one’s experience at work.

No matter what obstacle is thrown a business’ way, company data should always be available and protected, allowing the business to get on with day to day operations.

Compassion over Compliance
The way organisations handled the shift to remote working will remain with employees for life. Employees who were met with compassion will reflect on how understanding their employers were. Those who were met with distrust and micromanagement will have likely developed resentment towards upper management.

2021’s ‘Best Places to Work’ lists will be headed by organisations who have perfected their work from home policies. McCrindle research also revealed that Australians are 80 per cent more likely to stay longer with an existing employer if the employer provided them with the flexibility of working remotely or from home. Interestingly, just over half (51 per cent) of those interviewed were prepared to forego a percentage of their pay in exchange for greater flexibility in their working arrangements.

The measures organisations took to accommodate to their employees during the pandemic will become a key criterion for job seekers. Large organisations will be able to attract and retain talent based on how they handled the crisis. The best talent in the industry will be on the lookout for the best policies available to them. Uncompassionate and inconsiderate organisations can expect to be left behind.

Business leaders should be reminded that it takes the best to retain the best and that without people power, their businesses are nothing.

Driving Productivity though Automation
There is nothing more frustrating than being forced to work with unreliable software. Just because employees are contributing remotely, doesn’t mean an organisation’s productivity should have to suffer. Agility and collaboration should remain a key priority.

Employees are working to deadlines and don’t have time to wait for obsolete software to load. Updating critical technologies and ensuring they meet the needs of employees enhances business performance and reduces stress levels across the organisation.

Mundane, repetitive tasks are proven time wasters. Automation can be the key to liberating employees from tiresome admin tasks. McKinsey research reveals that around 60 per cent of workers could automate almost a third of their jobs and responsibilities. Working remotely is all about working smart, not long, gruelling hours. Introducing automated services across the entire organisation unlocks valuable time, promoting a more engaging workplace environment, in turn, boosting company morale.

Business leaders should be focused on implementing software that increases collaboration and agility, eliminating any unnecessary, tedious tools. Not all tasks can be automated, but by taking the time to listen to employees and hear their grievances, business leaders can then decipher which technologies will serve them best.

Employees who were met with compassion will reflect on how understanding their employers were. Those who were met with distrust and micromanagement will have likely developed resentment towards upper management.

Safeguarding Critical Data
All too often it is wrongly presumed that since Microsoft Office 365 already resides in the cloud, there is no need to store another copy of the data. This misconception becomes extremely problematic when employees accidentally delete or lose files and their work cannot be retrieved. Although Microsoft provides SLAs to keep Office 365 up and running, the onus of the data resides with user organisations, not Microsoft.

It’s considerations such as these that have the power to influence an employee’s attitude to work. Business leaders should be looking to technologies, such as cloud, to improve their employee’s experiences. Backup and restoration software eliminates the risk of losing access to employee data, whether it be held on Exchange Online, SharePoint Online or OneDrive. No matter what obstacle is thrown a business’ way, company data should always be available and protected, allowing the business to get on with day to day operations.

Flexible working policies, automation and backup technology are only a few measures business leaders can take to make sure their employees feel supported working from home. Business leaders should be reminded that it takes the best to retain the best and that without people power, their businesses are nothing.

Image Source: Unsplash

The post The laws of tech attraction: Why great tech will bring in even better talent appeared first on Inside HR.

Over the course of the coronavirus pandemic, organisations have had to drastically change the way they operate as employees continue to work from home. Whilst the months spent in lockdown offered a great opportunity for employees to upskill, workplace learning has had little time to adapt to this new, virtual environment.

Companies now find themselves having to rethink about how to best deliver workplace learning, particularly as remote working is likely to continue well beyond the pandemic. Maintaining engagement and interactivity during virtual training is perhaps the most significant challenge, particularly as most organisations conduct these sessions using a software that is primarily designed for video conferencing.

Content should be designed to be more visual and interactive, and training sessions should be more flexible to allow trainers to move freely between sections – this ensures they are able to engage with employees and include questions and discussions throughout the lesson.

Using a video conferencing platform for a training session means when workplace trainers share their content, they can typically only see their own screen and have a limited view of the participants. As a result, they are unable to observe the facial expressions and body language of the participants and to gauge their level of engagement.

Here are some tips on how trainers can deliver effective workplace learning in this new way of working:

1. Making the content work for an online learning environment

Firstly, trainers need to divide their content into shorter segments to allow employees to take regular breaks. They also need to ensure the flow of the training session is not monotonous by changing both the content and speed of instruction – using a wide variety of teaching tools, such as polls and quizzes, can be of great help. Additionally, trainers should encourage discussion and pay particular attention to the tone of their voice as this has emerged as a key factor in maintaining engagement in the online environment.

In this new virtual setting, trainers will be expected to take on the role of coaches and guide employees through lessons and programs, rather than just delivering information that could otherwise be pre-recorded. Part of this shift will include a move towards hybrid learning in which live trainings will be supplemented by e-learning to be completed prior to the session.

2. Upskilling workplace trainers to adapt with the changing times

There is undoubtedly a learning curve for trainers as they transition to online learning, in part because it requires the redesign of instructional materials. Content should be designed to be more visual and interactive, and training sessions should be more flexible to allow trainers to move freely between sections – this ensures they are able to engage with employees and include questions and discussions throughout the lesson. Trainers should also spend time practicing before the training session, not only to be better prepared, but also to make sure that the flow of the lesson works well with the online tools and to avoid any possible technical issues.

Maintaining engagement and interactivity during virtual training is perhaps the most significant challenge, particularly as most organisations conduct these sessions using a software that is primarily designed for video conferencing.

3. Look at digital tools that enable effective remote learning

There are technology platforms that are designed to enable virtual classrooms, which come with built-in interactive tools such as single-question polls, split screens, silent questions, content sharing and whiteboards. These features help keep participants engaged and allow for more active participation as well as greater engagement between them and trainers.

The technology used to facilitate this style of learning can spark more interactivity and cooperation between both in-office and remote participants. It also has the ability to collect real-time data on the level of engagement across the entire session, allowing trainers to adapt their teaching style to best suit each session.

Moving forward, we will see a rise of hybrid workplace learning in which trainers will be able to simultaneously interact with training participants in the room and those who are connected remotely. With remote working expected to remain for the foreseeable future, companies need to ensure they have the right tools and support in place to allow their workforce to stay engaged in this new model of workplace learning.

Image Source: Unsplash

The post How to deliver effective workplace learning in the “new normal” appeared first on Inside HR.

It’s a truism now to say that COVID-19 has changed every aspect of our lives and, perhaps most especially, the way we work. Pressure has been put on HR teams to determine how to help their employees get back into the office in a way that helps them feel secure and supported, while also managing collaboration with those working remotely.

The pandemic has put employee wellbeing at the forefront of the business agenda and, according to NTT Ltd.’s 2020 Intelligent Workplace Report, almost four-fifths (78.5 per cent) of Australian and New Zealand organisations agree that home-working during the pandemic has been challenging for employees. From a lack of bandwidth to feelings of isolation and a lack of dedicated workspace, employees are managing concerns on several fronts. HR leaders and teams have an opportunity to lead their businesses into the future, combining culture and technology to optimise employee experience and ultimately drive businesses forward.

To do so, there’s several key areas that HR leaders and teams need to focus on:

• Strategies to support hybrid working models and the future of office design
• The importance of policies to support a distributed workforce by using technology
• Overcoming pain points through training and analytics

Remote working has been tough for employees, leading to feelings of isolation and lack of connection to their work. HR teams must look at workplace strategies to optimise employee experience, including culture, technology & location.

Strategies to support Hybrid working models
Most organisations are now embracing a hybrid working model, allowing employees to work from home or the office, depending on their preferences and needs. Hybrid working models will be effective in allowing organisations to adapt to this new world, but HR teams need to develop more robust strategies, centred on employee welfare, for this to remain successful.

87.7 per cent of ANZ businesses believe employee needs will be a critical factor in developing the future workplace – recognising the desire for choice and flexibility to work in an office and the need for face-to-face time to build a sense of teamwork. As a starting point, organisations must look at how their office design aligns with employee needs, including facilitating creativity and collaboration, driving activity-based work initiatives and ensuring the right technology, such as video conferencing/video collaboration, is in place to connect a distributed workforce.

Keeping employees connected through policy and technology
Despite the massive shift in working habits, less than a third (28.5 per cent) of businesses across Australia and New Zealand have changed their IT policy to help employees work with a new operating model and well under half (38.5 per cent) deployed new communication and productivity tools. With all of the changes we have experienced over the last several months and the changes that are still to come, it’s no longer enough to rely on outdated policies and technologies. Keeping employees connected through HR policies and collaborative technologies that support the new reality is essential in order to maintain employee engagement.

HR teams and business leaders must react with agility and purpose, driving change in real-time compared to months, if not years, previously. Those who were already ahead of the game in employee experience, making brave, data-driven, human-led decisions, are now in a much stronger position to create a supportive culture.

But to make this technology effective, organisations must revamp their policies around the connected employee – in order to safeguard their wellness and experience. Helping people stay connected is key to looking after the workforce and maintaining productivity and effectiveness. But this must be underpinned by long-term policies that cement digital transformation, helping employees feel confident and comfortable with the new technology so that investments don’t go to waste.

Training and analytics
Across industries, we have access to a vast range of digital platforms and applications, but the rapid adoption of these technologies has not always been supported with enough or the right kind of training. It’s important for HR teams to clearly communicate the benefits of new technologies to employees as individuals, and ensure they’re trained to use it effectively.

Beyond technology for individual employees, it’s critical that HR teams and business leaders have access to workplace analytics to help them understand and assess new pain points introduced by remote working. By reviewing what applications and features people are using, HR teams can learn how to prioritise, tailor and measure the impact of training to positively impact on adoption, usage and productivity – all of which contribute to the employee experience.

Setting the foundation for the future employee experience
Having spent the last several months adapting to the pandemic, it’s clear that now is the time to create the workplace of the future. HR teams play an essential role in helping businesses combat the challenges posed by COVID-19 and reshaping their workplace strategy, and this will lay the foundation for an entire generation’s future of working.

Hybrid working models will be effective in allowing organisations to adapt to this new world, but HR teams need to develop more robust strategies, centred on employee welfare, for this to remain successful.

HR teams and business leaders must react with agility and purpose, driving change in real-time compared to months, if not years, previously. Those who were already ahead of the game in employee experience, making brave, data-driven, human-led decisions, are now in a much stronger position to create a supportive culture. Empowering people and helping them find greater fulfilment in their work is delivering greater value to these businesses.

Image Source: Unsplash

The post How HR teams can lead the workplace of the future with the power of technology appeared first on Inside HR.