Managing a talent arsenal has become crucial in the current work landscape. The situation has forced HR professionals to adopt ‘flexibility’ in their strategies -starting with consistent and effective hybrid work policies. Numerous HR leaders are stepping up on the platform to discuss and share their insights on the ‘never-normal’ workscape. For them and the HR professionals, the burning questions to consider are: What innovations will work? And how can they be effectively integrated to enhance the workplace experience?

To inquire further on these topics, we recently organised a LinkedIn Live as a precursor to People Matters TechHR India where leaders Ira Gupta, Founder, LSC Group, Executive Coach & Board Director; Smiti Bhatt Deorah, Co-Founder & COO, Advantage Club and Chinmay Sharma, CHRO & EVP India, GSK joined in to brainstorm on these burning issues of decoding flexibility and utilising this supercode to create a perfect EX strategy. 

Here are some key insights from the session: 

Technology’s impact on flexibility 

COVID-19 has fast-tracked the impact of technology in the modern workplaces. A flexible workplace has been enabled by bridging the human connectivity gap through digital communities. Technology has also tweaked the approach to events, replacing physical recognition with digital recognition. Technology has also enabled organisations to take cost-saving measures, leading to effective communication in flexible workplaces through digitisation. 

The hybrid work experience - what’s working?

‘Consistency’ and ‘clarity’ are the keywords which came up in the discussion to ascertain the effectiveness of hybrid working. Organisations that have consistently followed a set of strategies and found clarity in them have been successful in hybrid working. For example, the hybrid strategy deployed by Microsoft included organising physical team meetings to brainstorm client requirements and expectations while managing servicing and delivery through remote work.

 "Clarity and consistency are vital while defining and following hybrid work. Companies need to learn, unlearn and relearn fast on flexibility" - Ira Gupta, Founder: LSC Group, Executive Coach & Board Director

Another important point to note is that HR professionals also have to be mindful of bringing agility and ability to the fore when creating employee strategies. For example, If an organisation has employees with old parents to take care of, the policies must be agile to manage those settings. Also, the cycle of change should be kept in mind i.e. testing the strategies and constantly relearning employee trends to create a better framework. 

Importance of Culture in EX Strategies

Addressing an organisation’s culture is fundamental for a successful employee experience execution. If the company’s culture is such that the management system has evolved and employees can make smart objectives for themselves, then the journey for flexibility will be a lot faster. 

"Ask yourself, 'Where are you?'  from the cultural standpoint. This would enable you to kickstart the path towards a culture of trust and communication. This is important to harness the flexibility in company processes." - Chinmay Sharma, CHRO & EVP India, GSK 

Trust plays an important role in an organisation’s work culture where some employees will have more autonomy because they have less guidance while some won’t. The vital part is to understand on which spectrum your company lies: is it a structure setup or an open setup; so that the changes can take place accordingly. 

Asynchronous work practices are important for organisations to keep the good work going due to changes in employee traffic, newer preferences and different approaches among the employees. Hence, the companies could aim for less ambiguity and better clarity in working protocols and more.

Developing an obsession mindset for adoption and integration

The panellists agreed that it is important to develop an obsession for communication in leaders as well as employees to expand the company ecosystem. Also, it is necessary to obsess on adopting and integrating new technologies when augmenting company systems. Also note that privacy and security are quintessential when it comes to embracing technological ideas, even at the cost of customer experience. 

A key takeaway that the panellists concluded was that organisations have to keep up-to-date with the technologies and trends in the HR thought space. It is vital to create a workspace of upgradation and change. Ultimately, the prudence does lie in adapting the strategies and testing them - keeping the cycle of change going. 

Keep updating yourself with insights from leaders on key issues in today's workplace by following more content related to #TechHRIN. Join us for the 10th edition of People Matters TechHR India, taking place on the 1st and 2nd of August 2024 at The Leela, Ambience Mall, Gurgaon. Register now to be part of Asia’s Largest HR & WorkTech Conference! Sign up now!