The pandemic and working from home greatly modified work dynamics and relationships between people. The way we connect in the workplace, with each other, and with our work culture has changed forever. The walls we look at, or the halls we walk, could no longer play a helping hand in building strong relationships. How do you shape a culture in a remote environment?
Globant surveyed 1,000 U.S. professionals working remotely full-time to understand how people are feeling at work during this time of change. As the needs of managers and employees evolved, we wanted to make sure we were staying closely in tune with those needs in order to help businesses adjust to the new reality.
While numerous employers implemented video conferencing and productivity technologies during the initial phases of the shift to working from home, in 2021 there is a huge opportunity to evaluate what other individual and manager needs technology can help fulfill.
Supporting managers with technology
Managers are feeling less prepared and more challenged than ever before. However, the good news is that employees feel that their leaders are accompanying them in the right way. Nearly the same number of employees who said it was important for their managers to be empathetic and supportive (78%) also indicated that they were happy with how their managers were living up to this need (81%).
On the other hand, 87% of managers find it challenging to have visibility into what their team is working on without micromanaging, but almost 80% of workers value autonomy. The challenge then becomes finding forms of leadership that respect autonomy and at the same time establish strong and effective relationships that help people feel appreciated. Increased adoption of recognition and performance platforms can address the needs of both managers and employees.
Social connections are more important than ever
Overall, the pandemic has brought colleagues closer together, but employees may need support to meet new colleagues and grow their networks. Maintaining social bonds has been very challenging: 42% of workers have not gotten to know more colleagues since the pandemic began, and spontaneous, casual interactions were among the top three things respondents missed at least somewhat about being in an office.
Many of the technology tools that companies are currently using are effective for communication and productivity but are not enough for connecting emotionally.
A path to the future of work
Cultural adaptability and resilience — which reflects your organization’s ability to innovate, experiment, and quickly take advantage of new opportunities — are particularly important at the moment. Now is the time for leaders to double down on their future-of-work investments. Companies that prioritize technologies that empower culture and social connections will have a crucial advantage in adapting and succeeding in the new normal.
Download the full report to learn about the key findings during this changing and challenging period, including:
- The challenge of remote onboarding
- Culture platforms as the new “must have”
- An opportunity to build more diverse and inclusive cultures
- Expert recommendations to succeed
