The Debate: Remote, Hybrid, Onsite What’s the right solution? For some, it has nothing to do with where they work, and everything to do with finding balance.
Still deep in the shadow of “the great resignation”, it feels necessary to unpack what is happening and why.
The most common narratives circle around the notion of a newfound relevance of work/life balance and/or an extremely competitive market for talent. People are prioritizing home over work and others are simply jumping to a higher tax bracket by moving to another company - same skill, more money.
I think both are true. But I think there are several other important, possibly overlooked, factors stoking the fire.
Companies and leaders are failing to recognize what employees previously haven’t been great at articulating – that people want a sense of fulfillment. Fulfillment has often been measured and communicated by the work we do – over the last few years, employees have been able to include life outside of work as part of that narrative. They’ve had more time “away” from the office and are realizing that there is more to who they are than what they do for employment.
Others have simply decided, when given the space, that what they do isn’t something they are really vested in. It doesn’t fulfill them. They can’t get behind the product, company, mission – and they’re looking for something different.
You hear it all the time: Upon your deathbed, will you wish you achieved more at work? Will you long for those late nights and weekends, wishing you had just worked a bit harder? Or will you measure your life based on the relationships and experiences you’ve had? Your family, friends, and the love you’ve shared. The change you’ve seeded in the world.
More than ever what has been traditionally important, is being challenged. Companies, leaders, boards, they all must understand that it is not about working from home, but it is about prioritizing what really matters to the employee. Finding worth.
Employees value human connection, and connection is important for driving collaboration and creativity – but human connection needs to be developed in all aspects of life to be truly fulfilling. Remote, Hybrid, or Office based – the argument has never really been about the location, but about where we find our purpose.
So, if you’re an executive, watching talent bleed out the door – what do you do?
Focus on your team. 100% - They are the reason you’re here in the first place.
Create a vision that connects the work to the value it drives. Not just for the company, but for the customer. Can you articulate why you do what you do? Is it important? Can it be?
Be flexible – it is not impossible to drive connection through remote work – it just takes more intention. As a leader – you need to shift your mindset. Leading a remote or hybrid team isn’t harder, it’s just different.
What it means to be a leader is changing - Embrace the opportunity.