Three pandemic-era habits worth keeping

The old way is not the right way: 3 pandemic-era habits worth keeping

Autumn began with a trip to London and a packed schedule of meetings and events.

This time, I was joined by AgileOne's founder and CEO Janice Bryant Howroyd, and my colleagues Brian Clark, Tom Verhoeven, and Keith Poole for the MSDUK 2022 Conference and Awards. I always enjoy the opportunity to meet with—and learn from—fellow leaders in the procurement and workforce solutions industries, and this trip was no different.

Our time together was framed by an important dialogue on two related fronts: the alignment of supplier diversity with sustainability and the issue of environment and social governance (ESG) as a driver of socio-economic inclusion. As the UK’s leading supplier diversity advocacy network, MSDUK was the ideal organisation to convene European stakeholders for a robust discussion around these topics. They are doing meaningful work to connect Ethnic Minority Businesses (EMBs) with private and public sector procurement organisations, and AgileOne is proud to do our part as a sponsor and supporter of their mission.

As I wrote at the conclusion of the conference, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has to be about more than mission statements made in good faith. I'm proud to say AgileOne walks the walk for DEI. With a global supplier network that is 2,500 strong––over 40% of which are diverse businesses—we're committed to making meaningful progress across Europe as we continue on this journey with our customers.

Returning home to Zürich, I felt an odd sense of normalcy. After two years of pandemic upheaval, this was the first summer that felt reminiscent of the before times—of tight schedules and strict routines, of handshakes and shoulder-bumping.

Nostalgia aside, I’ve come to a conclusion: the old way is not the right way. Amid the tragedy and chaos brought on by COVID-19, supply chain issues, record breaking inflation, and the War in Ukraine, society was somehow able to find a path to a more productive way of doing business. The gains we made—in remote work, in technology, and in work/life balance—cannot be overstated. And in an economy where margins are tight, having a motivated workforce matters more than ever.

As I reflect on this return to normalcy, here are my thoughts on three areas where we can’t afford to give up the ground we’ve gained over the past few years:

1. Spontaneity

We’ve all been there: half a day spent commuting for a one-hour meeting that’s been on the calendar for weeks. Arriving late—despite our best efforts—only to find out that many of the other attendees have been held up by traffic or delays, too. By the time the meeting gets underway, you’ve collectively burned 20 minutes that you’ll never get back. Meanwhile, everyone is exhausted and finds it hard to focus.

Pre-scheduled, in-person meetings are an important part of business life. But consider if they could be reserved for moments when it’s makes more sense for people to be together, physically, in one space.

Teams should own—and celebrate—the new-found spontaneity that has dominated this new era of remote work. Rather than holding regular one-on-ones with our teams, let’s consider the value of topic-focused micro-sprints where we hone in on specific challenges. Instead of filling our calendars with back-to-back check-ins, we should set the tone that our workplaces, and their leaders, acknowledge that the best ideas aren’t generated in one-hour blocks of time. That our doors are always open for this kind of whenever, wherever brainstorming.

At AgileOne, we’ve been piloting the notion of meeting-free Fridays. On the one day that is notorious for sucking the week’s last ounce of energy out of workers, I’ve found that I’ve become most productive—and come up with my best ideas—when my creativity isn’t interrupted by the next thing on my calendar.

2. Flexibility

AgileOne recently released its Workforce Solutions Market Overview – Building an Agile Workforce after COVID-19. Among the many factors pushing employees to resign, the desire for flexible work arrangements topped the list. In fact, nearly three-in-four workers in one study indicated they wanted flexible remote work options to stick around post-pandemic. For most, a return to normal is out of the question.

Of course, this has significant implications for employers, which have been forced to adapt to workers’ changing expectations—or risk losing valuable employees amid a historically tight labour market. This dynamic is playing out at companies large and small, impacting AgileOne’s own clients, and our teams are working hard to help employers understand a range of options for remote work and employee scheduling.

Leading virtual or remote teams has been a steep learning curve for many. However, I truly believe that the last two years have demonstrated that we collectively have been able to master this new way of working, and it is hopefully here to stay!

Inclusivity underlies the push for flexibility, with working parents—and other quality workers who have traditionally been unable to commit to full-time jobs or set schedules—standing to benefit the most. Businesses that cater to this market might be able to grow their candidate pool by hundreds of diverse workers, while keeping existing employees who are quality workers—but for whom life circumstances have changed—employed.

3. Sustainability

The average worker in the UK spends more than one and a half hours commuting to and from work. This adds up considering that petrol cars produce around 180g of CO2 per kilometre. By working from home four days a week, researchers estimated that emissions of nitrogen dioxide—the main pollutant generated by traffic emissions—would be cut by 10%.

At AgileOne, approximately 80% of our European workforce is distributed across the continent, working from home or their local coffee shops. When in-person meetings become essential and beneficial, they utilize our clients’ offices or can rent shared space at a coworking centre. While every business has different needs, we all have a duty to work responsibly in an era where climate change is the dominant existential threat.

Original Post: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/three-pandemic-era-habits-worth-keeping-james-hochreutiner/