How to Address Exec Pushback on Flexible Work
Plus a preview of our next Flex Report: Professional Services!
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From the Flexperts | 5 Common Executive Objections to Flexible Work and How to Address Them
In the ongoing RTO debate, two distinct camps have emerged: on one side, advocates, typically employees, cite the benefits of flexible work, emphasizing increased employee engagement, heightened job satisfaction, and a reinforced sense of belonging. On the opposing side, critics, often executives, express reservations about productivity declines, fractured collaboration and communication, and the erosion of company culture.
While these concerns are not novel, they pose an important question: do they hold any merit?
In her guest post, Flexpert Tonille Miller, Management Consultant, I/O Psychologist, and Executive Coach, delves into the five most common executive objections to flexible work and offers thoughtful insights on how to address and overcome them.
Each week we spotlight an emerging best practice on flexible work adoption or implementation from the best thinkers in flexible work. Interested in becoming a “Flexpert” and sharing your insights? Sign up today.
Coming October 17th: Professional Services Deep Dive
Before 2020, if you searched online for the phrase "hybrid work," you'd get very few hits back in return. Over the last three years, hybrid work arrangements have gone mainstream, with 54% of US companies embracing hybrid work for their corporate employees.
While hybrid work is new for most, one industry had a lot of experience working “hybrid” prior to 2020: Professional Services! Employees at Professional Services companies (e.g. accountants, consultants, legal service providers) are very used to working in multiple locations, often moving back and forth between company offices and client sites. Put a different way, employees at these companies are used to operating in an environment where teams are not co-located five days a week. These companies were “hybrid” before it had a name!
We can learn a lot by studying the work location flexibility policies of Professional Services companies. These companies should be the most comfortable with hybrid work; looking at the percentage of Professional Services companies that offer work location flexibility should give us a sense of where the broader market might head as they get more hybrid work experience.
ICYMI: From the Flexperts | Hybrid Meetings Don't Have to Be Painful: 5 Tactical Tips That Work
If you’ve ever felt lost in a hybrid meeting, the good (and bad news) is you’re not alone.
Flexpert Brian Elliott (Founder of Future Forum and former SVP at Slack) shares his insights on creating more inclusive and productive meetings. From assigning a meeting moderator to embracing the power of video, tap into Brian’s five biggest lessons on transforming your meeting woes into wins.
ICYMI: Autonomy, Connection, and Equity: Three Keys to Employee Retention | Erica Keswin
In this episode, Rob Sadow is joined by best-selling author and workplace strategist Erica Keswin. Erica recently published “The Retention Revolution: 7 Surprising (and Very Human!) Ways to Keep Employees Connected to Your Company.”
Erica explores how intentionality, flexibility, and human connection can help companies retain employees and achieve success. Key topics:
Intentionality: Why all companies need to put their “flex stake” in the ground.
The “ACE” Framework: How the best companies consider Autonomy, Connection, and Equity in creating effective flexible work approaches.
Best Practices: How companies like TIAA, Nordstrom, Dropbox, and others are implementing flexible practices most effectively.
Listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
In the Media
Fox News: Why the desire for flexibility is so strong in the United States, and represents a new frontier of freedom.
WSJ: After employees moved away during the pandemic, some businesses are opening workspaces in their new cities.
HR Daily Advisor: The image of the traditional 9-to-5, suited-up office workers spending their days in a cubicle farm is quickly fading into history.
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About Scoop
Scoop is the fastest way to plan your next great office day. With Scoop, employees get more out of going in, with easily scheduled in-office days and invites. For HR and workplace leaders, Scoop provides insights on work location trends, office usage, and additional workplace solutions to get the most out of hybrid work.