Can Corporate Culture Survive Hybrid Working?

Culture, News

As businesses attempt to recall  teams back into their premises, some are being met with a degree of resistance. Lots of employees have enjoyed home working or at the very least expect a hybrid model with flexibility. The working landscape has undoubtedly shifted but is there a business case to physically bring your staff back into work or can corporate culture survive a new hybrid working culture?

The positives of workplace connectivity
Building a culture of connection within a business is a huge part of corporate success. Workplace connectivity is a way in which leaders can develop team building alongside promoting inclusivity and diversity. A huge chunk of interaction in the last couple of years has been via video conferencing and some may argue that this is enough. There is however a large portion of communication that is missed by relying solely on verbal platforms. Non-verbal cues are powerful and it can be extremely difficult to pick these up via video conferencing. We are, therefore, missing portions of communication from our colleagues which can create fragmented teams. Big hitters such as Morgan Stanley have flagged up the importance of face-to-face interaction as part of its ethos and culture. In a recent keynote speech in Sydney, CEO James Gorman described working from home as “job land” and working in the office as “career land”. The warning for its staff was stark.

AI technology bridging gaps between people
The other threat to job security looming on the horizon is the rise of AI. The World Economic Forum’s The Future of Jobs Report 2020 predicted that AI would replace 85 million jobs worldwide by 2025. Whilst that is a scary statistic there is an extent to which job creation will also take place. We need to be sure that our business values us and sees our effectiveness or we run the risk of feeling like someone or something else can take our place. Any task that has a measurable pattern or repetition will almost certainly become something that AI can carry out. The business case for using AI technologies is certainly strong as it can mean higher productivity, an ability to expand and a saving on staff numbers.  At the same time there will be a rise of specialist job roles and a high currency placed on problem-solving and creative thinking. We know that people skills cannot be replicated by a machine, enhancing these essential skills such as leadership is how employees either make themselves irreplaceable or useful elsewhere in a business.

Dale Carnegie research showed that 73% of people believe that soft skill development was needed to avoid job losses caused by AI, with communication, creativity and critical thinking ranking as the most important. Furthermore, 63% of employees would expect their employer to offer them this training. This is therefore about shifting fears over the advent of AI and using it as training opportunity and a way to boost corporate culture. While technology and big data will be the driving force for digital transformation, company leaders must look beyond the technology and develop a culture of learning to ensure the right skills are in place to enable employees to adapt to change and support the successful implementation of AI.

Outsourcing work to cheaper countries
An examination of workplace culture through homeworking and flexible working has likely meant an examination of how a business operates. One aspect of this may have resulted in outsourcing production or labour to cheaper low-cost countries. This is particularly pertinent in manufacturing businesses; the pandemic shifted ways of working which led to a geographically dispersed workforce and strategic global partnerships to help with manufacture and distribution.

Some advantages of outsourcing are:

  • Lower material costs
  • Increased efficiency
  • An ability to focus on core competencies
  • Increased flexibility and reaction to shifting market conditions

When a business understands how to measure their results and value of this exercise, then the financial savings and obvious benefits of outsourcing are evident. An increase in outsourcing elements of business alongside the rise of AI are almost certainly a potential cause of stress and worry to employees. There will however, always be roles and specialist skills that need high levels of competency; the danger being that if you are not visible enough in the workplace then it is a challenge to be noticed in the new workplace culture.

Can Corporate Culture Survive Hybrid Working?

In terms of shifting your corporate culture to adapt to hybrid working, if it is what your staff want, and you are engaging with them, then there is a strong case to adapt to that desire. Successful leaders understand that culture will always shift and adapt and therefore it can absorb changes to working patterns. Dale Carnegie research on culture showed that for organisations to have cultures that thrive, senior leaders must change their attitudes and behaviours to reap the benefits. Those that measure their success through HR metrics and employee surveys understand that culture and employee engagement have an impact on corporate financial performance.

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