How are leaders adjusting to - and creating - the hybrid work revolution? To answer this question, I interviewed Sanjay Rishi, Americas CEO, Work Dynamics at JLL, a Fortune 500 company in commercial real estate services, and the author of The Workplace You Need Now.

Hybrid Work: Benefits and Challenges

Rishi highlighted the benefits of hybrid work as seen by top leaders, including talent retention, talent attraction, motivation, and increased productivity. He emphasized that flexibility is crucial in the modern workplace, and that hybrid work is a manifestation of this flexibility. However, he also noted that it is important to strike a balance between flexibility and presence in the office.

While some leaders may view hybrid work as a compromise between their desire for a traditional Monday through Friday, nine-to-five schedule and the need for flexibility among employees, Rishi argued that progressive leaders see hybrid work as an opportunity to innovate, collaborate, and create a sense of belonging like never before. This transformation in perspective is essential for organizations to remain competitive and adapt to the evolving needs of the workforce.

Returning to the Office

Rishi acknowledged that many leaders underestimated the importance of change management when it came to returning to the office after the pandemic. He stressed the need for empathetic listening and open communication, as well as for crafting programs that provide flexibility and create a human-centric and regenerative workplace. This approach, he argued, would resonate better with employees and lead to more successful transitions back to the office.

One crucial aspect of successful change management is understanding the different challenges faced by employees in their return to the office. These challenges may vary based on factors such as generation, caregiving responsibilities, and personal circumstances. By addressing these concerns and incorporating employee feedback, leaders can create a supportive environment that promotes a smooth transition and enhances employee satisfaction.

Technology and the Future of Hybrid Work

The rapid advancement of technology will have a significant impact on the future of hybrid and remote work. Rishi mentioned the rise of generative AI, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR), which are improving remote communication and collaboration. These technologies are helping to bridge the gap between remote and in-person interactions, making it possible for teams to work together more effectively even when physically apart.

In addition to these cutting-edge technologies, Rishi discussed the importance of established technologies that have been around for a while, such as predictive and preventive maintenance, smart building systems, and workplace apps. These tools are poised to become even more important in the coming years, as they provide a foundation for creating more efficient and flexible workspaces.

Rishi suggested that organizations should focus on creating personalized, responsible, and experiential workplaces, harnessing technology to address issues such as sustainability, diversity, equity, inclusion, and resilience in the workplace. By using technology to gather data on employee preferences, organizations can design workspaces that cater to individual needs, while also promoting a more inclusive and environmentally responsible environment.

Sustainability and Responsible Leadership

Lastly, Rishi emphasized the importance of sustainability and responsible leadership in attracting and retaining talent. He pointed out that the US lags behind Europe and parts of Asia in terms of sustainability efforts, and urged leaders to recognize the urgency of addressing environmental concerns. Given that 40% of greenhouse emissions come from the built environment, the real estate industry has a crucial role to play in promoting sustainable practices.

Organizations that prioritize sustainability not only benefit the environment but also gain a competitive edge in the job market. Today's workforce is increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of their employers, and many job seekers are choosing to work for companies that demonstrate a commitment to environmental responsibility.

Conclusion

Having helped 23 organizations transition to hybrid work, I can affirm the validity of Rishi’s conclusion. Indeed, as organizations adapt to the post-pandemic landscape, embracing flexibility and a human-centric approach will be key to their success. By harnessing technology to create personalized, responsible, and experiential workplaces, businesses can better address the needs and preferences of their employees while also promoting an environmentally sustainable work environment.

Ultimately, the success of hybrid work models depends on the willingness of leaders to listen, adapt, and innovate. As Rishi suggested, empathetic listening and open communication are essential for fostering a supportive environment that empowers employees to thrive, both in the office and remotely. By prioritizing sustainability and responsible leadership, organizations can attract and retain top talent, ensuring their long-term success in an ever-changing world.

Key Take-Away

Leaders must embrace flexibility, empathy, and technology to create personalized and sustainable hybrid work environments... >Click to tweet

Image credit: Edmond Dantès/Pexels

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Dr. Gleb Tsipursky was lauded as “Office Whisperer” and “Hybrid Expert” by The New York Times for helping leaders use hybrid work to improve retention and productivity while cutting costs. He serves as the CEO of the boutique future-of-work consultancy Disaster Avoidance Experts. Dr. Gleb wrote the first book on returning to the office and leading hybrid teams after the pandemic, his best-seller Returning to the Office and Leading Hybrid and Remote Teams: A Manual on Benchmarking to Best Practices for Competitive Advantage (Intentional Insights, 2021). He authored seven books in total, and is best know for his global bestseller, Never Go With Your Gut: How Pioneering Leaders Make the Best Decisions and Avoid Business Disasters (Career Press, 2019). His cutting-edge thought leadership was featured in over 650 articles and 550 interviews in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Inc. Magazine, USA Today, CBS News, Fox News, Time, Business Insider, Fortune, and elsewhere. His writing was translated into Chinese, Korean, German, Russian, Polish, Spanish, French, and other languages. His expertise comes from over 20 years of consulting, coaching, and speaking and training for Fortune 500 companies from Aflac to Xerox. It also comes from over 15 years in academia as a behavioral scientist, with 8 years as a lecturer at UNC-Chapel Hill and 7 years as a professor at Ohio State. A proud Ukrainian American, Dr. Gleb lives in Columbus, Ohio. In his free time, he makes sure to spend abundant quality time with his wife to avoid his personal life turning into a disaster. Contact him at Gleb[at]DisasterAvoidanceExperts[dot]com, follow him on LinkedIn @dr-gleb-tsipursky, Twitter @gleb_tsipursky, Instagram @dr_gleb_tsipursky, Facebook @DrGlebTsipursky, Medium @dr_gleb_tsipursky, YouTube, and RSS, and get a free copy of the Assessment on Dangerous Judgment Errors in the Workplace by signing up for the free Wise Decision Maker Course at https://disasteravoidanceexperts.com/newsletter/.