PROCESS
Work and communication processes have changed drastically recently. The impact has been both immediate and extensive on all staff. That said, our research uncovered discrepancies between management and employee perception, especially around remote processes relating to digitalisation and the access of information.
SAFETY IN NUMBERS
With half (50%) of in-office managers, and 1/3 (37%) of employees citing COVID processes as a key concern for them, creating a workspace which follows guidelines and addresses employee worries is critical for those wanting to return to a traditional working environment, or hybrid model. Almost 4/5 (78%) managers are dealing with process concerns in the office and more than 3/5 (61%) of employees share that concern. We explore more on the issues facing employees where it comes to process below:
BREAKDOWN OF PROCESS
This divide in employee versus management perceptions is also seen in remote teams, where 7/10 (66%) of remote managers said they are struggling with employee processes such as reporting and administration, and almost half (42%) of employees share these concerns.
The reason for the increased concern on the managerial side is partly because managers tend to be the arbiters of process historically and are to some degree, less adaptable than the employee base. Managers are worried about time spent following processes in a remote environment, with 34% of managers concerned that employees find traditional processes more time consuming when working from home.
Findings also show that more than a third (28%) of managers are finding it difficult to implement new business processes with teams both remote and in the office, which is also a concern reflected in new technology implementation.
When looking further into these process difficulties, and those in the business that have been negatively impacted, we again see the findings suggest that the management experience is more challenging, with over half (50%) of managers struggling with employee well-being and mental health, which could be a result of additional stresses and responsibilities outside of the day-to-day role.
With changing environments comes the need to reset expectations around process. This can be challenging as it is not always clear how processes should adapt as the spaces around us change. What seems clear is that it is vital that businesses adapting to change be conscious of how the environmental factors impact process.
BEHAVIOURAL PSYCHOLOGIST EMMA KENNY, ANALYSIS
Empathy must be offered to managers who are walking a tightrope whilst managing expectation versus reality. Suddenly, managers are responsible for way more than staff productivity, they have to take charge in adapting and maintaining their work environments, whilst remotely managing staff who are no longer within direct reach.
Mental health has always been a concern for employers and managers, and these concerns have undoubtedly escalated recently. Now, managers are working with traumatised employees, resistant employees, and those employees who use working from home as an excuse for less productivity. However, knowing how to motivate and manage these key staff members is going to require an evolution of processes over the coming years.
Systems and processes will need to be tried, tested and adapted to ensure that both the physical and remote workplace become successfully synergised if we are to recognise good productivity.
