{"id":36821,"date":"2022-07-12T10:56:33","date_gmt":"2022-07-12T14:56:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/centricconsulting.com\/?p=36821"},"modified":"2022-07-18T08:07:29","modified_gmt":"2022-07-18T12:07:29","slug":"how-to-ensure-every-generation-has-a-great-remote-work-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/centricconsulting.com\/blog\/how-to-ensure-every-generation-has-a-great-remote-work-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Ensure Every Generation Has a Great Remote Work Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"
My son is what I like to call a remote native. He entered the workforce after the pandemic hit, and so he\u2019s never known full-time office life. He\u2019s always had the flexibility of the office optional<\/a> life, and he doesn\u2019t see a rational reason for why he should ever give it up.<\/p>\n My son is hardly alone in his desire for flexibility. A recent McKinsey survey<\/a> found that when offered flexible work options, 87 percent of workers take advantage — a steady trend across all demographics.<\/p>\n That said, older generations have a different perspective when it comes to remote work compared with their younger colleagues. They have a certain set of expectations around the workplace and have had to adjust to a new way of operating. Their desire for flexibility tends to be driven by factors such as elder care, childcare and personal health and safety considerations.<\/strong><\/p>\n To successfully lead the workforce through the transition into permanent remote or hybrid work<\/a>, leaders must consider these different perspectives, needs and preferences, taking care to provide the tools and support everyone requires to have a great remote work experience.<\/p>\n My company, Centric Consulting, has run numerous focus groups with clients, digging into how workers feel about the transition to remote work, what challenges they face and what they like and don\u2019t like about the remote or hybrid workplace experience<\/a>.<\/p>\n While no generalized statements about any large group of people will be without plenty of outliers, here are some of the major generational trends we\u2019ve noticed:<\/p>\n Gen Z and Millennials are the most resistant to returning to the office.<\/strong> They\u2019re not afraid to seek out other opportunities should their employer not meet their demands for flexibility and self-determination. That said, these younger workers do see value in coming to the office for meeting people and forming work friendships \u2014 it\u2019s mandatory attendance that\u2019s the issue. When they do come into the office, they\u2019re comfortable plugging in their laptop wherever there\u2019s an open seat, and they have no need for private offices or personalized spaces. They\u2019re on board with the trend toward hoteling.<\/p>\n Studies support these observations. Gen Z values flexibility<\/a> above culture, health benefits and other job perks. The 2022 Microsoft Work Trend Index<\/a> found that 52 percent of Gen Z and Millennials are considering changing jobs in the next year. Among LinkedIn users, Gen Z is the most mobile; their rate of job change has increased about 25 percent since the pandemic.<\/p>\n Anytime a workplace is in transition, leaders must bring everyone through the changes. The switch to remote or hybrid work is no different. While the generational trends detailed above are good to keep in mind, the bottom line is that no two workers are the same, and an individualized approach is necessary.<\/p>\n The following steps can help ensure everyone feels positive about remote work:<\/p>\n The only way to provide intentional leadership individualized to your employees is to have a listening strategy. Regularly poll people on how they feel about remote work, what challenges they\u2019re struggling with and gaps between their desired and lived work experience. Accommodate preferences where possible within the confines of workplace norms.<\/strong><\/p>\n Feedback mechanisms are essential, as research has revealed a common disconnect between employees and leadership. This year\u2019s Microsoft Work Trend Index, for instance, found that over half of managers<\/a> believe leadership is out of touch with employees.<\/p>\n\n
A Call for Intentional Leadership<\/h2>\n
1. Have a solid listening strategy.<\/h3>\n
2. Set clearly defined working agreements.<\/h3>\n