Workplace Culture Archives - The Future of Work Exchange

Learning from the Past to Build the Workplace Cultures of the Future

Business Leadership Diversity and Inclusion Talent Acquisition by Christopher J. Dwyer on 10/30/2024

I can’t help but be a person that is incredibly nostalgic. As the holiday season approaches, I frequently think of my childhood days and the experiences that shaped me and made me the person I am today. While my memories at this time of year are appropriately focused on trick-or-treating in suburban Massachusetts as a youth, there are also memories that are more, let’s say…business-focused.

I’m lucky enough to have spent the past 18 years of my career at two firms (nearly 12 years with the famous Ardent Partners, the research parent of the Future of Work Exchange), however, before my foray into the world of human capital technology, the Future of Work movement, and talent management and technology research, I spent some time at companies with not-so-empathic leaders.

For example:

A VP who told me that it wasn’t okay to say “How’s it going?” to another person if I hadn’t met them yet.
A company owner who said that if I ever got tired, I wasn’t fit for a career in writing. (Let me know if you know someone that has never been or will never be tired…)
Another company owner (same company, different owner) who said I had a “defeatist attitude” when I told him that I didn’t feel appreciated or valued enough after working 80+ hour weeks for a straight month after two employees quit.
A CEO who said, after finding a single (one!) spelling error in a document that I produced (that totaled over 40 pages), that I needed to spend more time focusing and less time “theorizing” when writing, and;
A certain company owner (twice on this list!) that told me that I “would never find anything out there” when I resigned and gave my two weeks’ notice.

The specific examples above all link back to one key element: a terrible workplace culture. Ardent Partners and Future of Work Exchange research has discovered that, over the past 12 months, 72% of businesses have taken steps to enhance workplace culture to better foster collaboration, engagement, diversity, and innovation.

Workplace culture isn’t just a nebulous concept anymore, but rather a true Future of Work state that affects talent acquisition, talent attraction, hiring success, brand awareness, and talent sustainability.

For too many years, I focused on those negative experiences, as well as my own professional mistakes. Sometimes they drove me to be better. Sometimes they hindered my progress. And, sometimes, they affected my mental health.

The mistakes and failures of the past, especially those stemming from poor leadership, can serve as invaluable lessons to shape the workplace cultures we strive for today. Rather than allowing past missteps to hold us back, we should use them to catalyze meaningful, positive change. Two years ago, ten years ago, or even twenty years in the past – the ideal workplace cultures we envision today should be informed by what we wish we had experienced back then. Reflecting on the shortcomings, pain points, and dissatisfactions of the past equips us to actively create the thriving, employee-centric environments we want to see now.

In today’s globalized, competitive business landscape, workplace culture has become a critical component of success. Elements like worker wellbeing, mental health support, employee experience, and overall company happiness are no longer optional – they are essential for retaining top talent, fostering innovation, and driving enterprise-wide prosperity.

Organizations that prioritize cultivating positive, enriching workplace cultures will be best positioned to thrive. By learning from past mistakes and intentionally shaping workplace cultures aligned with employee needs and values, companies can gain a competitive edge in attracting, developing, and retaining the best people.

The key is to let the lessons of the past propel us towards a better future, rather than allowing them to hold us back. With this mindset, the missteps of yesterday can become the catalysts for the workplace cultures of tomorrow.

When a Return to the Office and Workplace Culture Collide

Business Leadership by Christopher J. Dwyer on 07/15/2024

Although it’s hard to believe, it’s been more than four years since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. And in that time, several key Future of Work “accelerants” took the business arena by storm. The extended workforce, long a viable source of talent, saw a remarkable increase in utilization as businesses sought true workforce scalability in the face of uncertain times.

Direct sourcing began to take off as a means of nurturing talent communities and developing a near-self-sustaining source of on-demand expertise. Skills-based hiring emerged as a way to look “beyond” costs and pay rates to revolutionize how enterprises innovative and leverage next-generation skillsets.

Empathy-led leadership and emotional intelligence became crucial endeavors to separate the successful leaders from those that would eventually lose their staff to the Great Resignation. And, of course, the most famous Future of Work accelerant of all, remote and hybrid work, drew most of the spotlight and headlines.

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The Next Great Era of the Hybrid Workplace

Business Leadership by Christopher J. Dwyer on 05/20/2024

“We’re not putting that genie back in the bottle” is a phrase I’ve used at least two or three dozen times over the past few months whenever I’m asked about the realm of remote and hybrid work and how return-to-office (RTO) mandates are impacting these attributes. No matter how the economy shifts and no matter how far the pendulum swings back in favor of the employer, the phrase will always be true.

The COVID-19 pandemic was a watershed moment for humanity. And it was also a turning point in the business world.

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The Fluidity of the Future of Work

Business Leadership by Christopher J. Dwyer on 03/05/2024

For well over a decade, the “Future of Work” phrase has elicited both excitement and confusion. There is an inherent joy associated with the pathways of progression around the concepts of “work,” yet, complexities remain from defining exactly what is the “future state” of how we work. As the phrase, and its subsequent movement, caught fire in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic while the rules of work changed, the “Future of Work” became a foundational piece of business lexicon and we bore witness to an ever-evolving landscape of revolution, innovation, and technology.

Four years ago at this time, many of us (well, let’s be honest: all of us) were focused on the most critical of all Future of Work accelerants: remote and hybrid work. Who could know back then that this would open the floodgates into new and exciting ways of structuring workplace environments?

The Future of Work Exchange has oft-discussed this concept of “acceleration” in that pandemic-era restrictions, and, by consequence, the forced changes of how we work, pushed enterprises across the globe into a new era of work optimization.

With our backs against the proverbial wall, we responded by innovating. And by innovating, we continued to transform how we work, when we work, and where we work.

With nearly a quarter of 2024 in the books (time flies, doesn’t it?), the landscape of Future of Work-led shifts within the workplace (and how we work) represents the true fluidity of this movement; as technology continues to progress and as businesses seek to innovate around the areas of proficiency, efficiency, and productivity, we can anticipate a continuous evolution in the workplace dynamics, such as:

The much-vaunted four-day workweek. The Exchange’s John Yuva wrote about this strategy in 2023, finding that four-day workweeks “lead to lower stress levels as well as a happier and more loyal workforce,” as well as a major increase in productivity. The issue keeping the strategy from adoption, though? The vertical-to-vertical adherence to four days instead of five means that there’s a gap in customer- and client-facing servicing, leaving managers to struggle over another staffing issue in an era when the labor market is already volatile.
“Chronoworking” as a potential workplace disruptor. Chronoworking is innovative as it aligns work schedules with individuals’ peak productivity times, optimizing performance and creativity. However, its adoption can be challenging due to the need for a shift in traditional work paradigms, potential resistance from established routines, and the necessity for effective communication and coordination among team members following varied schedules
The convergence of new workforce generations and the importance of workplace culture. With Boomers mostly out of the workforce and Gen Xers approaching the last decade or so of their careers, it means that millennials and Gen Z workers represent the majority of today’s talent. Although this shift has been happening in some capacity over the past few years, the newer blend of workers means that there’s the utmost pressure on leaders to shore up workplace culture and ensure that the “work experience” meets the evolving requirements and desires of the younger generation.
The impact of AI on the workplace. Artificial intelligence is the next great level of innovation, with generative AI as its calling card. Generative AI is poised to revolutionize the future workplace by automating complex tasks, fostering creativity, and enhancing overall efficiency. Through its ability to autonomously generate content, solutions, and insights, generative AI will free up human resources to focus on higher-level decision-making and innovation. This transformative technology holds the potential to reshape workflows, streamline processes, and create a more dynamic and adaptive work environment, ultimately driving increased productivity and competitiveness in the evolving landscape of the modern workplace.

Optimize Your Workforce with Recession-Proof Strategies, Part Two

Business Leadership Contingent Workforce General Insights HR Talent Technology and Innovation by John Yuva on 08/07/2023

We’re now two months into the second half of 2023 and economically speaking, things are looking positive. The Bureau of Economic Analysis reports that GDP grew 2.4% in the second quarter of 2023. The labor market remains tight with unemployment at 3.6%, a rate not witnessed in decades. However, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the tight labor market allows the Federal Reserve to continue raising interest rates to fight inflation. Currently, inflation rests at 3%, a percentage point higher than the Federal Reserve’s longer-run goal of 2%.

Does the state of the current U.S. economy equate to a “soft landing” and the evasion of a recession? Maybe, maybe not. Due to the expectation of continued interest rate increases and the potential ramifications, uncertainty remains among executives and their enterprises. Thus, many are considering strategies over the next six to 12 months to recession-proof their critical workforce and their organizations.

With that in mind, the Future of Work Exchange features part two of a three-part series exploring several contingent and overall workforce strategies to achieve a recession-proof enterprise over the next few weeks. Part two explores the next three strategies.

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What Happens When Return-to-Office Mandates Impact Recruitment, Talent Retention, and the Employee Experience?

Business Leadership by Christopher J. Dwyer on 07/03/2023

As I’ve said dozens of times on video, on the Future of Work Exchange Podcast, and during numerous webinars: there is/was no silver lining to a global health crisis that killed millions of people and permanently disabled millions more. Many of us were sick ourselves, and many of us lost people close to use during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was a dark time in our lifetimes, a period in which everyday routines were altered as lockdowns, quarantines, and social distancing became a frustrating (and frightening) norm. While we are three-and-a-half years removed from those scary early days of the pandemic, the ramifications will always be apparent…especially in the business arena. In fact, Future of Work acceleration is now perceived as one aspect that was a positive result of the incredible change brought about by the crisis.

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The Five Major Shifts Transforming Businesses Today

Business Leadership by Christopher J. Dwyer on 05/04/2023

The world of work and talent continues to evolve, especially in the face of global uncertainty. Over the past few years, enterprises have experienced a variety of “Future of Work accelerants” that have forever altered the ways they address how work is done. In the next edition of the Future of Work Exchange‘s exclusive infographic series, we present The Five Major Shifts Transforming Businesses today.

Employee Engagement Still Lacks Execution

Business Leadership Contingent Workforce General Insights HR Technology and Innovation by Christopher J. Dwyer on 04/13/2023

Today’s enterprises can be characterized as fast-paced, ever-evolving to effectively respond to a more dynamic marketplace. Within the hustle and bustle lies a critical workforce need that is often overlooked: employee engagement. The concept can be confused with simply offering employees certain monthly perks identified from a quick survey. However, it goes much deeper than that and reaches beyond permanent, full-time employees to those in the extended workforce, as well.

A well-rounded definition of employee engagement comes from Engage For Success: “Employee engagement is a workplace approach resulting in the right conditions for all members of an organization to give of their best each day, committed to their organization’s goals and values, motivated to contribute to organizational success, with an enhanced sense of their own well-being.”

Powerful, Yet Underutilized

It is that commitment toward oneself and the enterprise that makes employee engagement such a powerful workforce approach. Yet, as a Gallup survey indicates, only 36% of U.S. employees are engaged in their work and workplace. The number is even lower on a global scale, with only 20% of employees engaged at work.

However, for those enterprises with a fully entrenched employee engagement system, the results speak for themselves. According to Gallup, those leading organizations are experiencing the following benefits:

An increase of 18% in productivity (sales)
An increase of 23% in profitability
A decline of 40% in quality issues (defects)

Achieving these results requires engagement with every worker. With nearly half (nearly 48%) of today’s enterprises comprised of contingent workers (per Ardent Partners and Future of Work Exchange research), employee engagement must include this critical workforce segment. When faced with the possibility of losing extended talent following a project or other initiative, employee engagement could be the competitive differentiator to retain them.

Engagement Strategies

Remote and hybrid work models can pose some challenges to employee engagement strategies. However, Gallop says “…highly skilled managers who set clear expectations, are in touch with each person through meaningful weekly conversations and have high accountability” will be necessary to execute employee engagement in a remote/hybrid work model.

A hybrid model is the most conducive to employee engagement because “…it can provide flexibility that considers several factors simultaneously — the individual’s life situation and strengths, the needs of the team they work on, health concerns, and the organization’s culture and business objectives,” Gallop says.

The following are various employee engagement strategies that can lead to a more motivated and productive workforce.

Invest in the candidate/employee experience. From the moment an enterprise engages with a candidate through that individual’s employment with the organization, the candidate/employee experience should be part of that journey. Communication and illustration of the company’s core values, for example, should be front and center to provide a sense of belonging and set the tone of the culture. Those values are then reinforced by managers and team leaders to create an open and positive work environment.
Integrate technology into the employee engagement process. Digital solutions permeate the workforce landscape. Apps to streamline the onboarding of contingent workers, collaboration tools for in-person and remote teams, and others all play a role in employee engagement. Research by Ardent Partners and the Future of Work Exchange says that 73% of businesses plan to utilize AI to measure and track and enhance employee engagement and the candidate experience. According to HR Cloud, “With the use of AI and collaboration tools, employees can become highly engaged since these technologies simplify tasks. Technology today allows efficiency, increases flexibility, and allows employees to work within the allocated time.”
Conduct regular workplace assessments. As the enterprise workforce evolves, it’s essential to measure the pulse of the workplace through assessments. Gauge overall feelings about workplace culture, leadership effectiveness, and work/life balance to name a few. Nearly 80% of businesses plan to conduct formal workplace culture assessments by the end of 2023, according to research from Ardent Partners and the Future of Work Exchange. Results will serve as a foundation for any changes to employee engagement initiatives.
Communicate, communicate, communicate. Motivate employees by encouraging them to share their thoughts, feelings, and ideas. One-on-one meetings with managers each week creates an emotional connection to the organization. Contingent workers must also be part of these weekly one-on-ones. Gaining their input can lead to productivity insights and improvements, as well as enhance their connection with their team members and colleagues.
Promote transparency with the contingent workforce. When it comes to the inner workings of the enterprise, the extended workforce should be part of those discussions. Whether they’re company meetings, employee retreats, or other communication and bonding activities, transparency with contingent workers can lead to greater trust, loyalty, and commitment. The more extended workers know about the organization and what goes on behind the scenes, the more they identify with its objectives and successes.

In his updated Gallup article, Jim Harter, Ph.D., chief scientist for Gallup, succinctly lays out the importance of an engaging workplace coupled with great managers — regardless of the economic climate. “Amid changes in workplaces and the economy, building an engaging workplace with great managers remains centrally important. During tough times, it predicts the resiliency of the workforce,” Harter says. “During recovery times, with lower unemployment, it predicts the retention of star employees. During all times, engaging workplaces with great managers build an organizational reputation and employment brand.”

An Ode to the Future of Work

Business Leadership HR Talent Technology and Innovation by Andrew Bartolini on 03/28/2023

The Future of Work is a topic that has been discussed for by Ardent Partners for many years, particularly with technology rapidly evolving and transforming industries. Today, we offer a poem that takes a creative and fun approach to imagining what the future of how we work might look like.

With rhyming couplets and vivid imagery, we’ve tried to paint a picture of a world where AI machines take on mundane tasks, leaving more time for worker creativity and exploration. The idea of virtual offices and collaboration without borders adds a sense of excitement and wonder to the future of work as we envision a world where the limitations of physical space and language barriers no longer exist. Ultimately, the poem encourages us to embrace the future with open arms, as it holds endless possibilities for growth and innovation.

Employee Engagement Still Lacks Execution

Business Leadership Contingent Workforce General Insights HR Technology and Innovation by John Yuva on 02/09/2023

Powerful, Yet Underutilized

An increase of 18% in productivity (sales)
An increase of 23% in profitability
A decline of 40% in quality issues (defects)

Engagement Strategies

The following are various employee engagement strategies that can lead to a more motivated and productive workforce.

Invest in the candidate/employee experience. From the moment an enterprise engages with a candidate through that individual’s employment with the organization, the candidate/employee experience should be part of that journey. Communication and illustration of the company’s core values, for example, should be front and center to provide a sense of belonging and set the tone of the culture. Those values are then reinforced by managers and team leaders to create an open and positive work environment.
Integrate technology into the employee engagement process. Digital solutions permeate the workforce landscape. Apps to streamline the onboarding of contingent workers, collaboration tools for in-person and remote teams, and others all play a role in employee engagement. Research by Ardent Partners and the Future of Work Exchange says that 73% of businesses plan to utilize AI to measure and track and enhance employee engagement and the candidate experience. According to HR Cloud, “With the use of AI and collaboration tools, employees can become highly engaged since these technologies simplify tasks. Technology today allows efficiency, increases flexibility, and allows employees to work within the allocated time.”
Conduct regular workplace assessments. As the enterprise workforce evolves, it’s essential to measure the pulse of the workplace through assessments. Gauge overall feelings about workplace culture, leadership effectiveness, and work/life balance to name a few. Nearly 80% of businesses plan to conduct formal workplace culture assessments by the end of 2023, according to research from Ardent Partners and the Future of Work Exchange. Results will serve as a foundation for any changes to employee engagement initiatives.
Communicate, communicate, communicate. Motivate employees by encouraging them to share their thoughts, feelings, and ideas. One-on-one meetings with managers each week creates an emotional connection to the organization. Contingent workers must also be part of these weekly one-on-ones. Gaining their input can lead to productivity insights and improvements, as well as enhance their connection with their team members and colleagues.
Promote transparency with the contingent workforce. When it comes to the inner workings of the enterprise, the extended workforce should be part of those discussions. Whether they’re company meetings, employee retreats, or other communication and bonding activities, transparency with contingent workers can lead to greater trust, loyalty, and commitment. The more extended workers know about the organization and what goes on behind the scenes, the more they identify with its objectives and successes.