Level Up Your Workforce: Enable People to Align, Collaborate, and Grow

Tackling ambitious projects or implementing initiatives to take your business to the next level requires a broad range of expertise. This expertise can only be provided by a large, diverse, virtual workforce composed of skilled professionals. 

Guiding People to Embrace and Reflect Business Values

Old habits die hard in modern employee management. Many now take formal communication via spreadsheets, emails, or other paper-based routes for granted, and so are the tools and practices they've relied on for years. As the competition for talent remains fierce and employees increasingly gravitate towards employers who prioritize the employee experience, it's more important than ever to rethink your people management strategy.

To begin with, here are some practical tips to help organizations keep up with their growing to-do list and develop their workforce without burning out everyone.

Fend Off “Productivity Paranoia”

Dubbed "productivity paranoia" by Microsoft, this issue relates to the disconnect between managers and remote/hybrid workers regarding productivity. According to a report, nearly 90% of employees believe they are just as productive when working remotely. On the contrary, 85% of managers felt that hybrid working made it difficult to believe this judgment. Not only does this mistrust create a disconnect in the workplace, but it's also preventing employees from collaborating at work and feeling less aligned with business goals.

Productivity paranoia arises because managers often fail to hold people accountable when they don't deliver. Therefore, to build a culture of accountability, leaders should create avenues for trust and verification. This starts with letting go of leading questions and opting for open-ended questions that keep everyone focused on the goals. For example, what support or guidance would you require to succeed? Do you have what you need? By when?

In addition, leaders and managers need to encourage continuous learning. Look for opportunities for people to receive (or give) mentoring, either formally, as part of their development plan, or tactically, to gain more knowledge for a specific project or initiative that is new to them. Offer opportunities and empower them to apply new knowledge to specific role-related tasks or other initiatives.

Make Sure Voices Aren’t Just Noise and Are Truly Heard

It's a common scene in the workplace—employees sitting in a conference room discussing business strategy. The outcome of the meeting represents a critical business decision, but the strength of that decision reflects the strength of each participant and how they brought their unique perspective to the table. Often, a few voices are left unheard.

Take a leaf out of the book of a leading American computer software company that has successfully managed its team spread across 24 different countries. The company views each employee as a storyteller. It focuses on ways to empower each voice to stand out and contribute. Some of the initiatives the company has taken to allow its employees to speak and also to be heard and represented like anyone else who matters are:

• Remote collaboration tools: Provide multiple channels—such as chat, email, and video calls—for team members to interact. With teams working in different locations, using effective collaboration tools can be a great way to foster open communication between dispersed team members.

• Virtual drop-ins: With remote working, it can be difficult to build the natural camaraderie that comes from teammates sharing lunch or gathering around the coffee station. One way is to create virtual 'drop-in' times where teams can get to know each other without the pressure of talking about work.

• Team check-ins: Projects and deliverables often change, so it's a good idea to check in with your team regularly to see what's working and what's not. Not only does this make your team feel heard, but it also provides an opportunity to address small problems before they snowball into big ones.

Address the ‘Why’ Behind the Work

If the turmoil of 2020 has prompted organizations or leaders to do one thing, it is to rethink people's priorities, such as employee well-being, resilience, and purpose. However, the ingrained assumption that work is fundamentally contractual and that employees are self-interested actors who will seek to minimize personal effort often blurs leaders' sense of direction. 

Employees want to understand how their work impacts the organization's goals throughout the year and not be surprised by the feedback they receive when the annual review finally arrives. They also want their managers to clearly understand their contribution. People who understand the 'why' behind their work tend to be more engaged, more productive, and more aligned with the organization's mission. 

By prioritizing people in the context of strategic goals, organizations can maximize their full potential.

Ensure that key HR activities, such as recruitment, training, and performance management, are closely linked to key business objectives. For example, performance management systems shouldn't just focus on how much people produce but also on the results and how their efforts contribute to achieving strategic goals.

This could include setting specific individual goals that contribute to larger organizational goals and recognising achievements that significantly advance those goals.

Closing Thoughts

It may sound clichéd, but it's true: your team is the company's lifeblood. No matter what industry you are in, building a healthy work culture that is driven by continuous learning and collaboration is the key to driving results for your business.

Productivity, engagement, retention, and other key metrics increase when an organization's work culture enables employees to align, collaborate, and grow. Therefore, building a collaborative culture where employees are empowered to learn and grow is well worth the effort, and with the right practices, you can quickly strengthen this aspect of your work.