Company policies are a necessary part of operations, but putting rules in place for nearly every aspect of the business screams, “We don’t trust our workers.”
The past year has taught leaders that they cannot physically monitor their employees’ every move, which has led some to relinquish control and others to ramp up monitoring through new technology.
However, throughout Jabra’s Hybrid Ways of Working 2021 Global Report, a recurring theme was that employees want less intervention from employers and to be trusted to complete their work.
In fact, 77% of Gen X respondents stated they would rather work for a company that provides them flexible arrangements rather than a lavish headquarters. Additionally, 69% of respondents said they would prefer managers to focus on output over time spent in the office.
The report also showed that workers’ top concerns about returning to the office are due to muddled and inconsistent communication about hybrid work policies.
Concerns include why employees need to go into the office at all, in addition to whether managers can ensure workers are being treated equally no matter where they decide to work from.
In short, it’s clear that policies and guidelines are doing little to ease the minds of employees as they make this unprecedented transition in the workplace. So what method does work?
Leaders need to set their own standards and principles that encourage optimal work, rather than rigid policies that require employees to be in a certain place at a specific time. Trust will be key here.
