A lot of us are working from home these days. Whether it lasts or not is anyone’s guess yet I am sure we will settle at a level of homeworking that is higher than before the pandemic. The switch from analogue working to digital has been swift and a lot less painless than many would have predicted and companies are looking to make savings on the back of the move.
We’ve all got used to it quite quickly and people are starting to wonder if I can work from here for this company then why can’t I work for any company. Businesses are onboarding people without ever being in the same physical space and so are we going to see a new market in people transferring their skills to the highest bidder, worsening the already difficult skills shortage seen in many sectors?
Working for one company from home is like working for any company from home, isn’t it? Of course not.
Now is the time for companies to innovate in working from home to differentiate themselves from their competition. Businesses need to be thinking how they can attract and retain the best talent in the new paradigm. Here are some ideas that might help.
People like to go to work for the community. Businesses need to focus on defining what its community is and how they can express that in an online or mixed environment. Make sure that everyone has an opportunity in helping to shape how this looks.
People like to go to work for the company’s values. They want to work somewhere that shares the values that they have. What are the corporate values? How are these expressed and how are they demonstrated in an online environment? Make sure that everyone has the opportunity to have some say in the future of the company.
People like to go to work to see their mates. Set up sIde screens next to the home office main screen which permanently connect people to their nearest neighbours, just as if they are sitting next to them. Let them talk about anything, not just work related as such conversations with colleagues are much closer to an office based working environment.
People don’t want to think of themselves as just a cog in the machine. We all know there is work to be done but people want to learn new things, have new experiences, to be successful and to fail sometimes. Allow everyone time to get involved in some thing that they want to do, work related or not. Allow their minds to wander and get the creative juices going.
We are going to be in a mixed home/office environment for some time to come, possibly forever. Now is the time for companies to innovate in working from home. Are you?
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 