New ways of working: April 2021 - How over 250 organisations have reacted and adapted to enforced change and employee needs, with a particular ...
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April 2021
Listen better,
make meaning,
inform action
New ways of working:
The lasting impact
and influence of
the pandemic
How over 250 organisations have reacted and
adapted to enforced change and employee needs,
with a particular focus on parents and carers
In partnership with
hard-hitting stats | inside stories | insight-led actions
Foreword
As organisations move from survival mode
In collaboration with the Global Institute
towards recovery mode, there is a critical need for Women’s Leadership, this latest Karian
to make clear decisions about the future of work and Box research focuses on the lasting
that do not disadvantage those who have done impact and influence of the pandemic;
shining a light on both the positive and
the most to care for others. the negative aspects of enforced change
Amongst other hard-hitting statistics and actionable insights, this report and revealing what over 250 organisations
reveals in detail the challenges faced by parents and carers during the think the future of work could look like.
pandemic. It highlights the financial and career costs they have endured It poses five big questions for organisations
as well as their sense of uncertainty because of the current lack of clarity to address as they think about what it takes
on what the future will hold. to create inclusive new ways of working
Turning adversity into opportunity is an important part of driving progress post-pandemic and puts a lens on how
and there is a sense of optimism in many organisations about the future organisational support for parents and
of work. However, there is a danger that we get distracted by buzz carers has evolved over the last six months.
words such as ‘hybrid working’ without considering what this means in
practice. Designing the future of work will require leaders to communicate
effectively, to draw on the evidence and to take action in a way that is
collaborative and sensitive to the broader context.
It is now time to show how we have learnt from the experiences of the
last year and how we are genuinely taking action to evolve how we work
for good.
Julia Gillard
Chair of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership
02In this report
03 07 16 24
Executive Where we The future Turning insights
summary are now of work into action
04 Six months on: 08 The organisational impact 17 View of the future 25 Insight-led actions to
Oct 2020–March 2021 – The experience of the pandemic – Optimism for lasting the questions posed
has not been universal positive change – Hybrid working, talent management,
05 The headlines at a glance – Changing attitudes towards – Limited consensus on the role of the office
06 The big questions posed ways of working the future of work – Support and wellbeing and
inclusive culture
09 The impact on parents 19 Planning for a hybrid
and carers workplace 27 Inside stories: Learnings
– The increase in financial – Hybrid working is the and inspiration
and career costs future (for most) – Introducing 'asynchronous
– Fear of planned redundancies – Striking the balance: communication' with OANDA
and restructures business vs. individual needs – Supporting frontline colleagues
– The inconsistency of policy – Looking further with Compass Group plc
provision and application than workplace location – Enhancing policies for parents and
carers with Vodafone UK
14 The mental wellbeing 22 The danger of cultivating
– Prioritising human needs with Aviva
challenge accidental flex – Creating inclusive workplaces with
– Support planned vs. – Working from home does The Unmistakables
support in place not equal flexible working
– Prioritising resources over – Flexitime is particularly vital
new ways of working for parents and carers
Go further:
33
For access to an InformAction
Appendix
pack to help you explore the 34 Research methodology
challenges posed by this
research, please visit 35 References
karianandbox.com/insights 36 Contributors
03Six months on: October 2020 – March 2021
In September 2020 we investigated the impact of the 14 December
pandemic on employees, especially parents and carers.
In this report we look at how the situation has evolved
as part of our research into future ways of working.
To set the context, here is a summary of the key events that
served as the backdrop to this research. 22 February
90 M 10 +
29 October First vaccine
in the US Roadmap out
World Health 9 November of lockdown
Organisation announced
90 %
(WHO) declares 21 December in the UK
Europe the
epicentre of
the Covid-19
pandemic
Interim results
from Pfizer and
BioNTech vaccine EU approves Pfizer
tests show 90%+ / BioNTech vaccine
efficacy
Against this backdrop, many organisations publicly b p – office-based staff can spend two days
shared different responses about their plans for per week working from home post-lockdown
the future. For example: T witter – permanent WFH policy
S potify – 'Work from Anywhere' policy
N
ationwide – told 13,000 staff to work from anywhere
L loyds Banking Group – to cut office space by 20%
S
antander – reducing office space in London,
G oldman Sachs – reject WFH as an ‘aberration’
moving headquarters to Milton Keynes
that does not suit their work culture
04The headlines at a glance
Analysis of over 250 organisations highlights the following key findings which are explored in more detail in this report.
The results outline research undertaken in February and March 2021 with organisations across a number of sectors. Differences are compared to the
research in September 2020
One year on from the start Six months on from our last research As we look to the future
of lockdown restrictions the perceived impact on parents and carers has worsened the need for clear direction
organisations are looking to the future. and there is uncertainty about the future. and support is evident.
There is organisational change Parents and carers have faced ...and are not always protected
ahead for many financial and career costs by policies
78 %
37% 23 32 % of organisations have policies
in place to mitigate against
redundancy selection where
30
in
%
people’s performance has been
are adapting their are actively planning affected by the pandemic
future strategy redundancies within the organisations have observed parents
43%
as a result of the next year and 47% are and carers using annual leave to balance have policies in place to
pandemic planning to restructure responsibilities and 63% feel that the mitigate against redundancy
career and skills development of this selection when time has been
say that there is clear consensus on
group has been negatively impacted taken off work due to illness
the vision for the future which also
or caring responsibilities
Coupled with optimism for positive has an impact on morale
lasting change
There is a danger of ‘fake-flex’ where the focus is on remote working,
rather than on flexible working or job redesign to evolve roles for
hybrid working
36 % 77 % Increased support for
4 5 90
2
% flexitime / flexible working
in
anticipate positive
lasting change to the
way we work
report an increase
in support for home
working and 97% are
planning to adopt
are planning to redesign
job roles to better suit
remote or hybrid working
63%
43%
2
9
Increased support for
parents and carers
Increased support for
part-time working
55 %
of organisations have put plans in
place to support people’s mental
hybrid working wellbeing as they return to the office
05The big questions posed
The insights provided in this research will help inform the action taken by
organisations to shape new ways of working and create inclusive workplaces.
Here are five key questions posed by this research.
01 02 03 04 05
HYBRID WORKING TALENT ROLE OF THE OFFICE SUPPORT & WELLBEING INCLUSIVE CULTURE
What does hybrid How can we make What is the How can we How can we
working mean and the way we work role of the office support our address the
how do you make part of how we in the future? employees through broader inclusion
it work in practice? attract, retain and the transition from challenge?
develop talent – survival mode to
particularly those recovery mode
who are parents over the coming
and carers? months?
Go further:
Read inside stories
that dive deeper into these
themes from page 27
onwards; organisations
featured include OANDA,
Vodafone and Aviva.
06We've proven that working
Where we flexibly doesn't have any
impact on productivity.
are now
I think my colleagues would
agree that there's no way
we could have worked
as hard if we were in the
The organisational impact office, especially the single
parents who have been
The impact for parents and carers
homeschooling. But I don't
The mental wellbeing challenge really know what's going to
happen next; are we going
to go back to 'normal' or are
we going to learn from this
experience and adapt?
HR professional, Telecommunications
07The organisational impact
The experience of the pandemic has not been universal
Experiences of the pandemic The impact of the pandemic on organisational performance and morale is varied
have been far from universal,
differing at industry, sector, What has been the overall impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the performance of your organisation?
and individual levels.
Larger organisations (60,001 colleagues
or more) and those in accountancy, 6% 30% 38% 24% 3%
banking, and financial sectors are most
likely to have been affected adversely ery negative
V egative
N either negative or positive
N ositive
P ery positive
V
by the pandemic.
Regardless of the impact on performance
there is change ahead for most as 78%
What is the overall mood of your organisation compared to this time 6 months ago?
are adapting their future strategy
as a result of the pandemic.
A comparison of organisations with
different levels of morale finds
7% 37% 21% 24% 10%
two key trends:
uch worse
M little worse
A T he same little better
A uch better
M
rganisations who reported
O
improved morale compared to
this time six months ago are less
likely to be anticipating restructure
or redundancy than organisations
where morale is the same or worse.
Though the future strategy of most organisations is being affected by the pandemic
T hey are also considerably more
positive about the support provided,
particularly for parents and carers. Which of the following statements about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic is most true for your organisation?
This suggests that offering such
support can contribute towards
improved morale overall. 6% 15% 54% 24%
It is too early to tell if our future strategy will change as a result of coronavirus
ur future strategy remains unchanged as a result of coronavirus
O
Our future strategy is likely to change a little as a result of coronavirus
Our future strategy is likely to change a lot as a result of coronavirus
08The organisational impact
Attitudes towards ways of working continue to change
Since the pandemic triggered In what way has the coronavirus pandemic changed
a global experiment in mass your organisation's strategy around the following:
home working for many,
90+9+1H77+21+2H63+343H43+55+2H
there have been considerable Support for home working Support for flexitime / Support for parents Support for part-time
shifts in attitudes towards ways flexible hours working
of working.
The attitude towards home working –
for those who can – has seen the
greatest shift over the last year.
The importance placed on location
and proximity has been challenged
by the experience of operating as a
remote workforce for many.
However, the gap between support
for part-time working and flexible
working compared to home working
indicates that support for ways of Increased No change Decreased Increased No change Decreased Increased No change Decreased Increased No change Decreased
working is focused on location, rather
than a broader flexible approach.
90 %
8 %
1%
77 %
21 %
2 %
63 %
34 %
3 %
43 %
55% 2%
Research has found that, globally,
40% of employees want more flexible
working practices, including options
for working from home and part-time
working.1 Providing these options will
be a critical part of attracting and I spoke to one of our very senior We've seen productivity levels There are still managers
retaining future talent.
group general managers a while in our frontline teams go up in and leaders who
ago who said, if we had told him, this time, which is incredible. "command" presence at
It is important to recognise that not a year ago, that he would be And so when we talk about work which means an
all jobs have the option of hybrid
working from home, and that he smart working, the organisation inconsistency in how
working. Three quarters of jobs
in the highest-paying industries would not be travelling around will embrace it much more flexible work arrangements
can be done remotely, compared the world to board meetings, he quickly than it would have are being applied.”
with just 3 per cent of those in would never have believed it.” done 12 months ago.”
the lowest paying industries. 2
09The impact on parents and carers
The financial cost for parents and carers
has increased over the last six months
While attitudes towards The financial cost for parents
ways of working have shifted
over the last year, so has
and carers is significant 67% Use annual leave 10
the financial cost of the Do you think more than
pandemic for parents and carers. 20% of people in your Reduce their
U
sing annual leave and reducing organisation have had to 24 % working hours
(and be paid pro rata)
7
hours to work pro rata remain the do any of the following to
most common changes employees accommodate work and
are making to balance work and
caring responsibilities.
caring responsibilities?
23% Take unpaid leave 1
E
xternal research shows financial costs
have not been shared evenly: 71% of
working mothers who asked to be 9%
Ask for voluntary
furlough 5
furloughed during school closures
had their request denied, and one Change or
in five reduced their hours to
5 % downgrade role*
manage childcare. 3
T his research did not find that having
clear policies mitigated the need to
20%
said both annual leave
use annual leave, demonstrating a and reduced working
broader challenge for parents and Even when policies are in hours had been used
carers when balancing work and life. place many parents and by more than 20% in
carers have decided that their organisation
bearing the financial cost
of taking leave or reducing
hours is the best option."
Differences are compared to the
research in September 2020
*Not asked in 2020. 10The impact on parents and carers
It’s not just the financial cost,
the career costs are also significant
A similar picture emerges The career costs for parents and carers
for the pandemic’s impact on
the careers of parents In general, do you think that coronavirus
and carers. has impacted employees with caring
responsibilities on the following:
In-role career and skills development
has taken a notable hit over the past
three months for those with caring It's hard as a lot of people
responsibilities.
T here is also a large impact on 21 18 have just been trying to
keep their heads above
promotion prospects, with 48% of water so there's not been
working mothers fearing childcare much time or focus
responsibilities will lead to negative
on development."
treatment at work.4
gain, external research shows the
A 2
impact is felt more acutely by women.5
In dual-career families, women are
experiencing the largest career costs
with female carers far less likely to
occupy management positions.6
63% 63% 46%
30%
said both skills
development and
intention to apply for
more challenging roles
had been negatively
impacted.
Current in-role Intention to apply Promotion
career / skills for a more prospects
development challenging role
in another division
11The impact on parents and carers
Planned redundancies and restructures leave
parents and carers feeling more vulnerable
Many organisations are Redundancies and restructures are predicted
anticipating restructures for a significant proportion of organisations
and redundancies, but
there is evidence of a lack of
37 47
consistent policy provision to support I know that there are a
those who have been most affected
by the pandemic. % % lot of people who are very
vulnerable. It’s not a nice
Just under half have policies in place for position to be in and the
pandemic-related absences and fewer anxiety of uncertainty
say leaders are currently say leaders are currently
than two in five have policies in place has a real impact.”
or actively planning to or actively planning
to protect people who have had time
make redundancies in to restructure the
off for caring responsibilities.
the next year organisation
Research shows that women in
particular feel more vulnerable to job
losses. It's also not simply a case of
feeling more vulnerable, women's jobs
are 1.8 times more at risk than men’s.7
Many organisations do not have policies in place to protect parents and carers
Does your organisation have a clear policy in place to mitigate against redundancy Differences are compared
selection where people have had time off work due to illness or caring to the research in
Policies are very tight responsibilities during the coronavirus pandemic? September 2020
on this, but the reality is
o
N Don't know es
Y
that anyone is impacted
by unconscious views
of individuals when 17% 40% 43% 5
they're doing any form of
selection – my concern Does your organisation have a clear policy in place to mitigate against redundancy selection
is that leaders will be where people's performance has been affected due to the coronavirus pandemic?
unconsciously impacted o
N Don't know es
Y
by the fact that some
people will have been
taking more time off
25% 43% 32% 16
than others.”
12The impact on parents and carers
The inconsistency of policy provision and application
The overall provision of
policies to support parents Does your organisation have clear policies in place… Differences are compared to the
research in September 2020
and carers has not evolved es
Y Don't know o
N
over the last six months. Of organisations with
this policy in place:
aving policies in place is only part of
H ...to support parents and carers with balancing workload with caring responsibilities at this time?
the challenge. Only 35-47% of those
surveyed said every manager in their
organisation knows about them,
31 %
11 %
58 % 6 35%
say every manager
knows about it
suggesting there is a lot of variation
when it comes to employees getting ...to enable managers to consistently deal with short-term flexible working requirements
the support they need. from parents over the coming months?
hile there seems to be a positive
W
effect of having appropriate policies 44 %
16 %
41 % 9 39%
say every manager
available, workload is a key barrier to knows about it
the successful and consistent
application of policies. ...so line managers know how to deal with performance conversations where an
individual’s ability to deliver has been impacted by the need to care for children?
36 %
25 %
39 % 2 47%
say every manager
knows about it
The provision of policies impacts But workload is a barrier, even when policies
other metrics: are in place
Support for parents Speak-up culture Our organisation is saying Policy support is great,
+39 +30
the right things and mental health support
creating policies but on is fantastic, tone of
the other hand the huge pressures leader communications is
point difference in point difference of work, staff reductions and ever right – 'do what you can, take
perceived support in ability to speak longer hours becoming the norm the carers leave, etc. as you
for parents between up between means that nobody wants to be need it' – but no consideration
organisations who organisations who seen to be taking advantage of for removing goals / workload
have clear policies have clear policies
what's technically on offer.” so this feels mismatched /
and those who don’t and those who don’t
like a hollow gesture.”
13The mental wellbeing challenge
Keeping the focus on mental wellbeing
Mental health and wellbeing What organisations were planning What support has been put in place...
is a global challenge that six months ago...
has been intensified by the
experience of the pandemic Is your organisation putting plans in Has your organisation put plans in place
for many. place to support people's mental wellbeing to support people's mental wellbeing as
69+20+11H 55+20+25H
Returning to the office is a source of as they return to an office environment they return to an office environment from
anxiety for many and the mental state
2020 from home working? 2021 home working?
of employees needs to be considered,
especially for parents and carers.
Yes Yes
A Trades Union Congress (TUC)
survey of 52,000 working mothers 69 %
55%
published earlier this month revealed
Don't know Don't know
that nine in ten had experienced
higher levels of anxiety and stress 20% 21%
during this latest lockdown.8 No No
T his research found that perceptions
of mental health support are weaker 11% 25%
in organisations where there has
not been an increase in support
for different types of working. This
suggests a disproportionately negative
impact on parents and carers. For
example, organisations who have
put plans in place to support mental Organisations who have put plans in place to support people’s mental wellbeing
health and wellbeing as part of the as they return to an office environment are also more likely to report increased:
transition back to the office are 32
points more likely to think that the Support for Support for Support for Support for
support for parents and carers has parents part-time flexitime home working
increased during the pandemic. working
+32 +30 +17 +11
Compared to those organisations who have not put plans in place.
14The mental wellbeing challenge
Support seems focused on resources and tools,
rather than ways of working
Webinars, workshops What is your organisation doing to support employees' mental wellbeing during this time?
and courses are the most
commonly quoted forms
of wellbeing support.
Other common channels are employee
assistance programmes and shared
40%
Running courses /
24%
Employee assistance program
16%
Check-ins / emails / calls
15%
Training and supporting
wellbeing resources. It is worth noting webinars / workshops mental health first aiders
that such forms of support typically around mental health
involve some interactive element
where employees connect with
peers and/or managers.
Wellbeing support from leaders is vital
given that external research has shown
23% of employees report feeling burnt
11%
Social events
8%
Helplines
8%
Allowing
out at work very often or always, while wellbeing days
21%
an additional 44% reported feeling / extra leave /
mental health
burnt out sometimes.9 Burnt out
days
employees are 63% more likely to
take a sick day, suggesting individual Sharing mental health /
3%
and business-wide benefits can result
from having proper wellbeing policies
in place.
wellbeing resources / tools
9% 8
Apps
%
7 %
Nothing /
Encouraging Not a lot /
flexible working It's not clear
to me
The support that has been I’ve heard of lots of examples whereby Organisation
put in place is great and organisations are doing lunchtime has a
programme
there is something for yoga sessions or mindfulness, but / support
everyone. Though it only without reducing workload so people in place
works as part of a bigger then have to work later which seems (GENERAL)
picture approach to this." counter-productive."
15The future
of work
View of the future
Planning for a hybrid workplace
The danger of cultivating accidental flex
We have to look for the positives and to learn from the experience
we’ve gone through. That’s our role as leaders, and there is so
much that we can take away from a very difficult time to make
work better. That said, we have to be mindful of what different
people have gone through and of the impact of some of the bad
habits that have cropped up such as people being ‘always on’."
Communications professional, Financial Services
16View of the future
Optimism for lasting positive change
There is a shared sense of
Are there any lasting positive changes to ways of working that you think your organisation
optimism about the lasting
will make as a result of the coronavirus pandemic?
positive impact on ways of
working. es Don't know N
Y o
The pandemic is expected to have a
lasting impact on the way we work. 82% 15% 3%
60% of organisations think working
from home will become more
accepted, and just under half feel
flexible working is here to stay.
60 %
48 %
Research by the Chartered Institute
of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
shows that seven in ten employees 18% 12% 9% 6%
are satisfied with their employer’s
response to Covid-19. This represents
an opportunity to build on
changes made in recent months
and make them more permanent.10 Allowing employees More flexible Improvements Less business More focus on Emphasis
to work from home / working in technology / travel / more collaboration on health /
working from home digital working remote wellbeing
becoming more meetings
accepted
Before, working from home was seen as a People will be more aware of
privilege for the trustworthy. Now it's been including people who are working
proven that anyone can. I think this change remotely and the innovation,
in mindset will be positive for many, especially those social and collaborative needs met by
who previously had long commutes." the office environment."
I have seen more men speaking up about the We've busted the myth that
challenges they are facing with children out of contact centre staff can't work
school. I think it is good that the conversation from home."
around caring isn't just limited to mothers."
17View of the future
Limited consensus on the future of work
There is limited consensus Is there consensus across your organisation I think lots of people are quite
about the future of work about the vision for the future? anxious about what is going
in most organisations.
to be decided. Will we be
Just under one in three organisations
expected to go back to how it
reported that there is a clear consensus
about the vision for the future. was before? As a parent myself,
Morale is 12 points more likely to I can’t imagine going back to
have improved since this time six how we worked before and
months ago for this group, which
what that meant for my kids
suggests that providing clarity can
have a morale-boosting effect. and our lives."
Almost a quarter of organisations say
consensus varies by individual leader.
My concern is that future
The qualitative interviews and open
text questions highlight that this type
30% 44% 23% 14% decisions will be made based
of variance is creating concern on personal preferences of
and anxiety about the future as the Yes No – it varies by No – it varies by Don't know
fear is that decisions will be made area / geography individual leader* leaders. Some are really keen
based on the personal preference / function to get back to the office while
of individual leaders. others have found the way
Given the additional challenges Clear vision for Lack of consensus impacts we’ve worked over the last
of finding one solution that the future overall positivity year revelatory."
accommodates different country’s
+12
Covid-19 restrictions, multinational Organisations who report a lack
organisations face additional of agreement at the top are
more likely to be negative across It’s, of course, more complex
challenges when trying to share
a clear vision of the future. point difference in morale other metrics. for multinationals. There
when there is consensus
Senior leader support for policies are different regulations
on the vision of the future
to manage workload (-47) and laws to consider. That’s
Ability to speak up (-30) why there needs to be a clear
Employee involvement in ideas (-30) central view and framework
Support for mental health and that can then be applied
wellbeing (-22) locally."
*Respondents were able to select both 'No' options 18Planning for a hybrid workplace
Hybrid working is the future (for most)
While we recognise that The vast majority are anticipating hybrid working to become the norm
not all employees have the
ability to work flexibly, In your organisation, what do you think the balance of office working
the organisations surveyed / home working will be in the future (post-pandemic)?
said a significant proportion of their
workforce could, and they expect We've proved to ourselves and to
hybrid working to become the norm. our leadership that we can still run
Hybrid working is a flexible working the business remotely and do that
approach; employees are encouraged really well, even with all of the other
to work from different locations – life factors like home schooling and
whether that's at home, in the office everything else that's gone with
or elsewhere – choosing an that. When things open up again,
environment to suit their preference I think there's going to be a much
and the task at hand, while still
more relaxed culture."
fulfilling the organisation's needs.
When thinking about how offices
might be used in the future, most
organisations said they expect space
to be used on a rotating or flexi-
working basis, with considerably
reduced numbers of staff in the
office on any given day.
Given the likelihood of repeated waves
of the pandemic, and that organisations
enjoy lower costs when employees
work from home, it seems probable
that working from home will become
1% 23% 53% 21% 2%
widespread.11
100% working 75% working 50% working 25% working 0% working
from office, from office, from office, from office, from office,
0% working 25% working 50% working 75% working 100% working
from home from home from home from home from home
19Planning for a hybrid workplace
Striking the balance between the
business and the individual needs
Almost all organisations are In your organisation, what do you think the balance will be I worry about what happens when
planning for a return to the between business needs and individual needs when it comes we go back to the office – those
office in some form, though to deciding where people work? without caring responsibilities
the needs driving these will be more likely to do so earlier.
decisions vary by organisation. There is a risk that the office
Striking the balance between business becomes where all important
and individual needs will be key to decisions are made and those
evolving the way we work in the who keep working more from
future in a positive way. home miss out."
Research has shown the importance of
organisations being open and honest
to give employees specific details So, before it was cynicism about
about what the business needs are whether working from home,
when it comes to locationality.12 working flexibly, or other flexible
sorts of options would work.
As hybrid working looks to become the
norm, it is important that organisations Well, now everyone's had an
avoid a ‘two-tier’ workforce scenario. experience that they've survived
A two-tier workforce could result and so have the new ways of
when those working from home more working so there's a sense that
regularly become overlooked for e.g. we don't need to pay for office
recognition and promotions, compared space for you."
to those working from the office –
leading to issues around presenteeism
being rewarded over output.
This bias towards office-based workers
is already impacting part-time workers13 4%
and could disproportionately affect
more women moving forward. Women 7% 49% 39% 1%
are more likely than men to work part-
time and would prefer to work from 100% business 75% business 50% business 25% business 0% business
home more post-pandemic due to needs, needs, needs, needs, needs,
childcare responsibilities.14 0% individual 25% individual 50% individual 75% individual 100% individual
needs needs needs needs needs
20Planning for a hybrid workplace
Looking further than workplace location
97
36+41+23H
Most organisations see Are leaders in your business / HR leaders currently
% Yet only
36
hybrid working as the future, or actively planning to redesign job roles for remote
but comparatively few are
planning to redesign job
% or hybrid working?
roles to better suit hybrid working. of organisations are Yes
planning for hybrid working are planning to redesign
hen organisations are thinking
W
about the balance between home
of some kind job roles 36%
and office working, they are likely Don't know
to be considering using office space
on a rotating or a flexi-working
41%
No
approach, rather than planning for
a wholescale return to the office.
The focus seems to be on where we’re working
23%
ut it is flexibility, not location,
B
and that it’s OK to keep working from home,
that is on the minds of employees.
Childcare commitments, personal rather than on how we adapt and evolve.”
wellbeing, and eldercare are at the
top of their lists when thinking about
the work-life integration in the future.15 Those organisations who are redesigning job roles are also more likely to
Hybrid working can be more be focusing on the broader employee experience than those who are not
challenging than being fully remote as
the power and flow of communication Employee involvement Perceived support Policy provision Supporting wellbeing
+22 +20 +20 +14
usually sit with the co-located majority.
Transitioning into new hybrid teams will
require a lot of upskilling, planning and
intention.16
points more likely to points more likely to points more likely to point difference
T hose organisations who are have a listening feel that support for have policies in place in organisations
redesigning job roles for remote programme in place and parents and carers to help parents and proactively planning
or hybrid working are also more 15 points more likely to has increased as a carers balance workload, to support wellbeing
likely to be focusing on the overall have included feedback result of the pandemic which are also more
employee experience, suggesting in the planning process supported by line
a more holistic approach to managers and leaders
evolving the way they work.
21The danger of cultivating accidental flex
Working from home does not equal flexible working
The pandemic has prompted
widespread support for
working from home, though
support for flexible or part-
Mind
90 % 77
the gap
%
63 % 43%
time working has not increased to the
same extent.
T his creates challenges for parents and
carers in particular who are seeing the
boundaries between work and home
life dissolve – often working longer
hours to accommodate their caring
responsibilities. of organisations say that of organisations of organisations of organisations
This has resulted in 'fake-flex' – a term there is increased support say that there is say that there is say that there is
used by Flex Appeal campaigner, Anna for home working increased support increased support for increased support for
Whitehouse, where employees are for flexible working parents and carers part-time working
working outside of core business hours,
but policies have not been strategically
designed or implemented.17
There is a need to think more broadly
about flexible working and the
different forms it can take, including
having predictable or set hours, Very positive rhetoric Lots of very unhealthy It’s not just parents and Whilst senior leaders
working from home, job-sharing, but little practical habits have cropped up … carers, I think we need make good noises about
compressed hours and term-time support other than some people that will log on in to be clear about how the working flexibly, not
working.18 flexibility around when the morning, very early, way we work can have expecting those with
working hours can be and they might do the unintended consequences. caring responsibilities
completed – a good short school run. And then they If several people in your to work longer hours,
term policy but over a carry on working before team work to different the reality is that the
long period has meant they go to bed, they'll log times etc, then the day amount of work and
parents are working on or come back and look becomes longer and longer time to complete them
evenings and weekends at their screen and work with no clear boundaries.” remains the same.
consistently to 'make for another hour. It's quite So reality does not
up' time.” unhealthy.” match the rhetoric.”
22The danger of cultivating accidental flex
Flexitime is particularly vital for parents and carers
The gap between support for In organisations with increased support for home working, but no increase in
home working and support support for flexible working, the perceptions of support for parents and carers
17+77+6H 63
+343H
for flexible working poses
is considerably lower.
particular challenges for
parents and carers. In what way has the coronavirus pandemic changed your organisation's strategy around support for parents:
Flexible working is particularly vital
for parents: during the pandemic 58%
6% 17% 3%
say they took on additional childcare,
while 53% had home-schooling 46
pts diff
responsibilities.19
In organisations where support for 34%
flexitime has not increased as a result I ncreased
of the pandemic, we see considerbly No change
lower perceptions of support for Decreased
parents overall.
T his research found that support 63%
for homeworking actually underlies 77%
positivity on other areas and, notably,
when this support is lacking, fewer feel Organisations with increased support All organisations in this research
positive about how senior leaders and for home working, but not flexitime
line managers are managing policies.
Organisations in this group are also less
positive about other key metrics such as:
3 4% have observed more than 20% of people
taking annual leave to balance workload
(compared to 22% overall)
4
7% think line managers support policies
(compared to 68% overall)
2
1% think senior leaders act as blockers to policies
(compared to 9% overall)
23I can only hope the majority of
organisations will land on the
hybrid model, and recognise
that employee choice makes
them an employer of choice.
There is so much value if they
really adopt this approach
going forward. But it has to
be more than buzz words
Turning
and talk, it has to be backed
up with action." insights
Senior leader, Property
into action
Insight-led action:
The big questions posed
Inside stories: ideas in action
in other organisations
24Insight-led actions
The big questions posed
Insight-led actions to address the big questions posed by this research.
01 02 03
What does hybrid working How can we make the way What is the role of
mean? And how do you make we work part of how we the office in the future?
it work in practice? attract, retain and develop
talent – particularly those
who are parents and carers?
HYBRID WORKING TALENT ROLE OF THE OFFICE
At its best, hybrid working is about more than Flexible working is increasingly a hygiene factor The pandemic has accelerated the evolution of
location – it involves enabling employees for top talent. Organisations who make this part the office. Many organisations are re-thinking
(who can) to work flexibly. of their talent strategy focus on the following: their real estate and how they use it.
R
e-design job roles to make sure that the day-to-day C
reating and embedding an inclusive culture that S
tart with the outcomes you want to create for your
role and broader responsibilities really work in a remote genuinely supports flexible ways of working, and where people, your customers and business. Use this to inform how
or flexible context. people feel safe and able to flex their time without you design your office(s) space or strategy for the future –
fear of negative consequences. and make this clear in your communications with your people.
R
e-think employee experience in a hybrid context to
make the most of this opportunity to shift ways of working. C
onsistent leadership role-modelling to demonstrate B
alance business and individual needs. Cutting costs
Walk through the end-to-end experience to test and challenge both the possibilities and the positive impact of working on office space can be beneficial, as long as you invest
opportunities for progress, and challenges to overcome. in this way and to avoid the ‘say-do’ gap that many time, effort and resource in ensuring there aren’t productivity
employees currently perceive. or talent losses as a consequence. Be open about the bigger-
B
e clear on language and definitions as part of regular and
picture of decision-making in this context.
clear communication to avoid misinterpretation. C
learly sign-posted commitment throughout the
end-to-end employee experience. From offering T
ake a holistic approach. Show how the action taken
I nvest in virtual leadership skills to upskill leaders
flexible working in all advertised roles, to re-booting by facilities management, for example, aligns with the
who will have to adapt to leading co-located and
onboarding and re-thinking performance management. strategy and is brought to life through communication
remote team members.
and engagement.
C
lear, actionable policies that are easily accessed,
C
onsider any unintended consequences. For example,
understood, supported and applied by managers, B
e creative. Use this opportunity to trial new ideas
if employees are able to choose how and where they work,
and that are evolved over time to adapt to changing with the office space, using employee feedback to
how do you avoid creating a two-tier system, especially for
workplace needs. assess what does and doesn’t work.
those with caring responsibilities and/or who work part-time?
T
argeted support for particular employee groups,
S
et clear rules of engagement to help people make the
for example carers, to avoid the responsibility for
most of their different work modes and locations, to mitigate
support being solely with managers.
the challenge of meetings in a hybrid world and to address
the challenge of flexible working hours meaning that people
feel ‘always on.’
25Insight-led actions
The big questions posed
Insight-led actions to address the big questions posed by this research.
04 05
How can we support our How can we address the
employees through the broader inclusion challenge?
transition from survival
mode to recovery mode over
the coming months?
SUPPORT & WELLBEING INCLUSIVE CULTURE
The experience of the last year has not been From female leaders leaving the workforce to
universal. The way that organisations lead the a disproportionate impact on minority groups,
transition ahead will be critical. the pandemic has reversed progress for many
B
e as clear as possible about the future vision to help and this context should not be downplayed.
manage uncertainty, anxiety and speculation. Even if you A
cknowledge and address the challenges, setting
are not able to share details, showing that there is the context of broader social challenges and how they
consensus can have a positive impact on morale. impact the organisation and its employees.
B
alance positivity with empathy to acknowledge the C
onsider how to address this throughout the employee
impact and influence of the experience of the pandemic experience lifecycle. For example, targeted recruitment
for many so that efforts to turn adversity into opportunity to attract those who have left the workforce or
do not feel tone deaf. downgraded their roles during the pandemic.
K
eep listening and responding through formal and A
sk, don’t assume how those most affected are
informal channels to involve employees in problem- feeling, what they are most concerned about and
solving, create a sense of connection and course how they’d like to be supported.
correct where necessary.
E
ncourage and equip managers to have these
R
e-think the approach to wellbeing so that initiatives conversations. Whilst they don’t need to have all the
and resources are underpinned by a strategic and cultural answers, they can listen and direct to where employees
focus on supporting employee wellbeing. Burnout, can find further support. There can be an ‘eggshell effect’
exhaustion and mental health challenges have been when discussing such issues, so consider the different
intensified by the pandemic and the experiences mechanisms and channels that can be used.
need to be well-understood and addressed.
T
ake the opportunity to think bigger and to adapt
B
e clear and consistent with communication. Make sure to the new context for creating inclusive workplaces.
to update employees as soon and as often as possible on Invite co-creation of solutions through the involvement
plans in order to minimise speculation and uncertainty. or creation of networks.
26Inside stories
Learnings and inspiration
OANDA COMPASS GROUP VODAFONE AVIVA THE UNMISTAKABLES
Remote working led global Sarah Morris, Chief Leading technology Insurance company “There is now an
multi-asset broker OANDA People Officer (CPO) of company Vodafone UK Aviva’s wellbeing strategy obligation to create
to adopt an asynchronous Compass Group plc, gives is continuing to support throughout the pandemic a future of work that
communication approach, her perspective on how parents and carers blended manager training is much more equal”
which is a highly flexible organisations can look throughout the pandemic and support resources comments Simone
way of working designed to develop, recruit, and and beyond – creating with the roll-out of fun Marquis, Culture and
to better connect people retain talent in the hybrid policies that support engagement activities to Inclusion Director at
across time zones. And working world – creating them in the workplace. uplift employees, including The Unmistakables,
with company leaders inclusive processes, PE lessons with Joe Wicks, as she outlines the
now role-modelling this policies, and cultures that bake-offs and kids’ math steps leaders can take
behaviour, the firm is attract parents and carers lessons with their Chief to build a more
committed to making this into fulfilling careers. Financial Officer. inclusive workplace.
approach work in a post-
pandemic world.
27Inside stories
Trusting your people and changing
the way you communicate
A global leader in online multi-asset trading services, currency data and analytics, OANDA takes pride in its global
workforce, which comprises 400 employees around the world. As a result of the pandemic, OANDA has placed trust
in its employees at the forefront of its change strategy, introducing an asynchronous communication approach
and a more flexible, hybrid way of working.
What Why Impact At OANDA, we place
our trust in each and
OANDA’s new hybrid working model P
roductivity remained consistent B
etter collaboration between countries:
responds to each employee’s unique and people were happy: Following an By freeing up time through pre-recorded every member of staff.
needs, empowering them to optimise employee survey, it became clear that townhalls and being more selective over This trust has allowed
their working day and partner seamlessly productivity and employee engagement the need for synchronous meetings,
with cross-border teams, enabling the firm levels remained consistent despite OANDA has ensured the entire workforce
us to move towards an
to create a truly inclusive global workforce. working from home, so the firm looked stays informed while making the best output- and performance-
lacing trust in employees: Employees can
P
for additional ways to maximise the use of overlapping time zones. based management
opportunity for change.
set their own hours and work from any C
ultural transformation: This change style instead of the
convenient location, as long as their daily C
ovid-19 was the perfect catalyst for has prompted people to rethink how they
tasks are completed. change: A global organisation, OANDA spend their time and better prioritise their
more traditional method
E mbracing asynchronous communication:
was already considering the introduction work. By changing how and why teams of defining hours and
While OANDA ensures a clear agenda
of a hybrid work model, but when the meet, the firm has effectively changed the logging shifts, driving the
pandemic made working from home a corporate mindset, creating a consistent
for company-wide townhalls, the firm
reality, the company felt the decision culture and set of working practices that success of asynchronous
also provides access to advance reading
material and pre-recorded segments that
to enact change had been validated. are equitable for all, no matter how communication both
or where they work.
allow employees to prepare in their own R
esponding to business needs and for the business and
time. When synchronous meetings do culturally realigning the company: Having E
mployees feel heard and understood: our people. In short, it’s
occur, they are purposeful and accessible opened a new office in Krakow last year, After announcing the new approach,
to everyone, whether in person or OANDA wanted to create a company-wide employees repeatedly expressed how opened up a world of
via video conferencing. culture that veered away from the more pleased they were that OANDA was opportunity in terms of
R
epurposing the office: OANDA’s
hierarchical head-office down approach,
ensuring employees felt valued regardless
thinking – and talking – about the future.
They also felt relieved to be given a
improving efficiencies,
offices have been redesigned to foster
collaboration and encourage social
of location. greater sense of direction and permission driving productivity and
interactions.
to work more flexibly. increasing employee
Leadership role-modelling: Company engagement.”
leaders have actively and visibly adopted
new asynchronous ways of working to Elliot O'Brien,
drive change across the entire organisation. Chief Information Officer
28Inside stories
Understanding and supporting parents and carers
Vodafone UK is committed to supporting parents and carers in the workforce, which in turn supports gender equality.
Their approach throughout the pandemic has been to build on the enhanced policies and equality measures they
already had in place for parents and carers, working with employees to find the right balance between work and
home responsibilities.
Enhanced Parental ‘Impacted Unexpected New polling
Leave policies Productivity’ option Care Leave policy commissioned by
Any employee whose partner is having a
baby, adopts a child or becomes a parent
When schools were closed, Vodafone UK
introduced an ‘impacted productivity’
During the initial months of the pandemic,
employees were encouraged to discuss Vodafone21 found:
through surrogacy will have the option option in its internal system for those changes to their working arrangements
to take 16 weeks paid leave at any point colleagues balancing working from home with their line managers. Many people
during the first 18 months – regardless with caring for children or other family adjusted their working hours and Vodafone
46%
of gender, sexual orientation or length members. This allowed Vodafone UK to UK also changed its policy on Unexpected
of service. support carers by recognising that they Care Leave to enable employees to take
may not be as readily available or able to their entitlement at short notice and as
W
hy: Creating an environment where all
produce the usual level of work during their best suited their needs, including a of the respondents said that caring had resulted
parents have the opportunity to spend
normal working hours, without any impact few hours at a time.
more time with their children not only in them feeling more lonely or isolated
on their remuneration.
reduces concerns around the impact of W
hy: To support employee wellbeing
parental leave on the finances and careers W
hy: To support employees with caring and create greater flexibility to reflect
of new parents, but helps to challenge the responsibilities to balance caring and work, the realities of the impact of the pandemic
idea that caring is a ‘woman's job’. This in turn which also supported the mental wellbeing for some employees. Additionally, external
helps to reduce the stigma around taking of employees. Vodafone UK sought to polling commissioned by Vodafone
time off for caring responsibilities
for all employees, but will particularly
help male carers who may otherwise
feel unrecognised or unsupported.
build on its existing welcoming and
supportive environment for parents and
carers, backed up by policies that helped
increase flexibility and reduced stress
(a nationally representative sample20)
showed that women were more likely
to be carers than men. Therefore policies
such as this also sought to limit the
39%
of people who work full time saw their caring
for those employees impacted. gendered impact. responsibilities increase due to COVID-19 in 2020
7%
of respondents indicated that caring was the
main reason for leaving their last job
29Inside stories
Supporting the wellbeing of frontline colleagues
Sarah Morris, Chief People Officer (CPO) of Compass Group plc, shares how their organisation has continued
to support and retain talent during the pandemic; creating an inclusive culture with processes and policies
that offer parents and carers fulfilling careers, particularly those on the frontline.
Actions taken at Compass At Compass Group, we believe
Group plc to support Continuing the pursuit it is critical to support all
employees of gender equality in the working parents. Throughout
workplace during the pandemic we have taken
Showing colleagues we care: a number of steps to support
9,000 welfare calls made to colleagues to check the pandemic the wellbeing of our frontline
on them and their families.
Whilst many organisations have seen a decline in female
T housands of food boxes distributed to representation as a result of the pandemic, Compass Group
colleagues including their mental,
colleagues in need. UK&I have strengthened gender representation at physical and financial wellbeing.
management levels by 6%.
L aunched 'You Matter'; a mental health campaign to Protecting jobs wherever possible
support needs of Compass Group plc colleagues. This
involved signposting support, launching manager training
and moving towards flexible
to spot issues and training Mental Health Ambassadors of our workforce working patterns in some cases.
to deliver Mental Health and Wellbeing workshops.
D
eveloped and launched Financial Wellbeing workshops,
64.6 % are women
It was important that we did
acknowledging the financial impact of the pandemic. this as our frontline workers did
Continued commitment to colleague learning: not have the same privilege of
eveloped and launched new apprentice programme
D choice when it comes to working
in partnership with well-known chefs (Marcus Waring;
Tom Kitchin; Bryn Williams).
of our management population flexibility due to the nature of
C
ontinued investment in programmes to
support female progression.
48% (Hay Grades) are women (up
from 41% from March 2019
until March 2021)
their roles compared to other
industries."
Continued investment in apprentice programmes.
Sarah Morris,
Offered flexi working and shift patterns:
edeployed thousands of people into Healthcare
R
Chief People Office, Compass Group plc
business to support pandemic – in so doing, offered
flexible shifts and work patterns, plus the opportunity
to continue to work and learn new skills.
42% of our Exec Team are
women (up from 36%)
30Inside stories
A human response to a human crisis
When faced with the pandemic, Aviva focused on meeting the human needs of their people by combining
a solid foundation of employees' wellbeing support with a full schedule of interactive activities and sessions –
bringing joy to the organisation with their ‘Winter of Happiness’ programme.
What Why Impact If you're supported to feel
Wellbeing program formed the foundation. T
o acknowledge that Winter would be E
mployees felt valued and engaged:
better in yourself, you
Creating a culture of psychological safety; difficult: With home schooling, longer days, The programme left people feeling seen become more resilient
making it clear that employees families come a restricted Christmas and more lockdowns, and supported by Aviva. This was shown
first and giving people permission to look Aviva supported their employees more through survey engagement scores around which enables you to
after the things that were most important broadly to show that Aviva understood wellbeing being in the high 80s and cope better. This has
to them. what they were going through. people advocating for the organisation
Equipping leaders with training and guides through social media, sharing their a knock-on benefit
T
o keep employees feeling connected
to recognise and talk about mental wellbeing to Aviva and each other: Supporting their
positive experiences. because when you’re more
issues with employees – whether dealing
with mental wellbeing, isolation, loneliness,
human needs and giving people hope, S
tarting a conversation within Aviva: resilient and feel secure
routine and stability in uncertain times. Employees sharing their stories through
domestic abuse, and physical wellbeing. Yammer and making it okay to ask for at work, that radiates
o help build mental resilience: Wanted to
T
emote wellbeing guidance – manager
R support so they can help each other.
training and support tailored to new
make people feel a ‘little bit lovely and a little positively across your
bit cared for’. Bringing small elements of joy – S
pread lasting positivity across the
remote ways of working.
in addition to the existing wellbeing support business: By creating positive experiences
broader family and so
Bringing hope and joy through the ‘Winter structure – helped employees to build during a difficult time, Aviva has supported we’re proud that Aviva’s
of happiness’ program. Sprinkling in an resilience to change and face challenges. their employees from a wellbeing
activity for everyone; making sure that perspective and created goodwill that will
focus on wellbeing has
o support employees in a
T
every week something happened in the
Meaningful way: Aviva prioritised making
be remembered. Employees will recall feeling far greater reach than
organisation that people could connect supported and the kindness shown and
to or dial into to connect to each other.
people feel “a little bit lovely and a little bit
remain loyal advocates of Aviva. our colleagues."
cared for” over getting bogged down in
Giving every employee a wellbeing day new policies and procedures. Debbie Bullock,
to spend how they wish.
Wellbeing Lead at Aviva
Gifting £100 before Christmas.
unning a live session with Rugby heroes
R
focused on wellbeing and mental health.
Enlisting You Tube star Joe Wicks for a live
session on all things physical and mental
wellbeing. One for the whole family.
ffering kids maths lessons, coding courses,
O
bake-a-long with a junior bake-off star
and much more.
31You can also read
