HR departments have to help executives manage new expectations
W orkers — current workers, former workers, wannabe workers — got most of the attention as the workplace evolved during the depths of the pandemic and the sputtering, lurching recovery that followed. That’s understandable, given the way a changed economy hurt some workers and empowered others. So what’s ahead for human resources profes- sionals trying to help their companies’ executives deal with the differences, manage employees who can just as easily work from Bismarck as from Birmingham and still maintain a healthy corporate culture that attracts top talent? It’s an interesting time to work in HR. Ashley Self, director of learning and people de- velopment at the electrical products wholesaler Mayer, cites the loss of in-person time with employees brought on by the pandemic and the continued remote working afterward. “That means fewer opportunities to sit down face-to- face and hear their concerns,” said Self, a 1995 marketing graduate. “Video technology has been embraced much more so than pre-pandemic and that has helped to some degree, but there have still been fewer opportunities to have those unplanned but often beneficial conversations with each other.” Merely lamenting that reality is not enough for managers whose companies confront the conse- quences of it. An article from the consulting firm Gartner notes that with reduced opportunities for “spontaneous in-person interactions in the workplace, managers need to be more intention- al in establishing and developing relationships
with their team members.” HR professionals need to provide managers “with the proper tools to become human leaders and manage employees’ career perceptions, well-being and connection to organizational culture.” For those who are back in the office, sometimes not eagerly, the transition hasn’t always been smooth. Seeing a colleague on a small Zoom rectangle isn’t the same as seeing that person beside your desk and for many the idea of working in your pajamas instead of a skirt or a suit still has a lot of appeal. “After going fully remote, for some it has been hard to return to the office and all the structure that surrounds the office,” Self said. Having people back in the office really matters to some executives, whether it should or not. For them, there’s a reassurance in seeing employees at work, but that may not always be the best course for the company or its employees. After all, if the work is done well, on time and on budget, how much does it matter where or, for that matter, when the work is done? “Having led global teams for over 20 years, I have known for quite some time that managing a remote workforce, monitoring performance, building culture, setting expectations, motivating teams, etc., is achievable,” said Cindy Taylor, COO of the consulting firm EnSignis and a 1981 industrial management graduate. “However, this method of working has traditionally been constrained by those who need to physically see individuals to know they are working.” That attitude may not be sustainable in an environment in which Taylor says workers and prospective workers “remain in the driver’s seat for where they work, where they play, where they
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