Hybrid collaboration, video and the future of work
As employees indicate that they want flexibility and remote work options—even after the threat of COVID-19 is neutralized—comms pros must find ways to connect office-bound and virtual workers.
While some argue that the past year has proven the feasibility of remote work for many organizations, the future of work remains somewhat inscrutable.
Many workers indicate that they like the flexibility of working remotely, and data suggests that productivity hasn’t decreased as workers have stopped coming into the office. But the effects of a truly hybrid workplace have yet to be determined.
Will employees who come into work outpace their remote colleagues for promotions and career advancement? Will resentment build up between remote and nonremote workers? How will the organization foster camaraderie and a resilient work culture without people spending time together in the office?
Iain Urquhart, senior vice president of the Americas for Barco, says that the dynamics of hybrid work are already in a state of flux. His organization, with offices in Atlanta, has had to navigate competing guidance from government bodies, employee needs and desires and business requirements, such as servicing devices that have been crucial for health care workers during the global pandemic. From Barco’s experience in bringing some employees back to work, incentivizing vaccine adoption and more, Urquhart draws several key lessons.
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