which other companies could and should follow. Yet while tech companies and unicorns (privately held


startup companies with a value of over US$1 billion) are able to embrace flexible working policies because they do not have legacy IT systems or large investments in commercial office space, more traditional companies considering hybrid working face different challenges. “Each organisation must individually assess the


flexibility they can realistically offer, depending on the sector and role in question,” says Yvonne Smyth.


WHAT ARE THE KEY CHANGES THAT ORGANISATIONS HAVE TO MAKE TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN TALENT? In recent months, some companies have jumped into an ‘Office Return’ message, enforcing a blanket office- working mandate for all employees or reducing weekly remote working days. “Most employers have tried to justify this by mistakenly asserting that in-person desk-side working is required for collaboration or productivity, when much of the actual reasoning behind an office return is a lack of ability to manage teams remotely and a lack of ability to maintain a united culture whilst operating a hybrid structure,” says Aimee Treasure, marketing and D&I director at Templeton and Partners, an agency which recruits tech professionals and executives for financial services, pharma, consumer goods, energy and retail. “Surveys and reports show time and again that


flexibility is the number one benefit most sought-after by talent across industries and remits,” she says. “With skills shortages rife across sectors, employers are increasingly turning to untapped talent pools such as diverse candidates, but flexibility is even more vital for diverse demographics.” Having grown up during the climate emergency and


an increasingly connected world, Gen Z are the most sustainability-aware and globally-focused demographic,


16


and will represent almost one third of the total workforce in the next few years. “With their focus on finding an employer that


matches their own purpose and values, Gen Z are a selective candidate market who want to utilise their job role to continuously make a positive impact on the world,” she says. Gary Cookson, founder and director of EPIC, a consultancy which helps clients improve workplace performance, and author of ‘HR for Hybrid Working’ says leaders need to recognise that their role has changed. “We cannot assume that the skillset that made


someone an effective in-person leader will carry over to a remote or hybrid setting and they could be better starting again with leadership development as a result,” he says. “Leaders must be able to read between the lines and see how individuals are working – are they adopting healthy working practices? Are they building good relationships with teammates and others in the organisation? Are they making the contributions they are expected to?” Some of this can be difficult without the sensory


aspects of being able to see and hear people in-person, but leaders can be coached on how to adjust to this sensory loss and look for different, more readily available data and information about what their team are doing and more importantly how they are feeling. He says they also need to be far more focused on


individual and team wellbeing than previously. Blurred work/life boundaries and other pressures need to be carefully managed. “Leaders should find ways to check-in little and often


with their staff, focusing on managing the human being, and letting that human being manage the required performance,” he says. Jessica Zwaan is a startup and technology executive


with a background in operations, people, and talent spanning three continents and the author of ‘Built


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78