Hybrid? Remote? How do you meet anyone?
How can you learn on the job if there is no one to learn from? What happens to our future generation? Let's discuss...
Are we hybrid or on-site? Are we fully remote or hybrid? If hybrid, how many days a week am I expected to be in the office? Can I come to the office if I want to? Where is our office anyway? AGH!
In so many great ways, the pandemic in 2020 woke us all up to an amazing opportunity to be extremely successful while fully remote. Some of us moved to a better, more affordable location with a better view, nicer weather, and (finally) a yard! Some of us enjoy the mornings and afternoons with our kids, spouses, families, and pets. Some of us also have 15+ years of experience. Living the dream, right?
However, how many of us met our spouses or many of our best friends at the office? How many of us formed work relationships, networks, mentorships, and general friendships that have lasted us for years? Many of us know and will gladly admit that our success today is due to the office environments that we once sat in and the people around us.
People are a product of their environment. What do you say to someone whose environment is their living room, or their bedroom? What about the younger generation that graduated college after 2020? Many are still living with their parents or in apartments with friends they can barely afford. Yet they don’t have an office to head to. They are missing the face-to-face interactions, spontaneous brainstorming sessions, and a palpable sense of organizational culture. What about learning and listening from elders around them on their experiences? When you have a real-time question about a situation, who do you turn to? What about that great celebration? Who high-fives you and celebrates with you? We all love our goldfish, but good luck getting the response that drives you and your emotions.
Having spent 25 years in the recruiting space, I’ve never seen anything like this. This great debate is causing an epidemic in the flood of applicants for a job you’re recruiting to fill. As a hiring source, you want the best candidate, period. But, now you have been inundated with hundreds of applicants from god knows where let alone how many have been written by an AI bot specific for the job? Where do you even start from here?
I’m not arguing for either, but speaking to and witnessing this shake-up is NUTS! Let's mention some of the obvious:
Collaboration and Teamwork: A physical space for teams to collaborate and work together. Face-to-face interactions can enhance communication and foster a sense of camaraderie among team members.
Structured Environment and Routines: Working in an office often provides a structured environment with set working hours. This can help individuals establish a routine and maintain a work-life balance.
Access to Resources: Offices typically offer access to resources such as office equipment, technology, and specialized tools that may not be readily available at home.
Networking Opportunities: Being physically present in an office allows for networking opportunities with colleagues, superiors, and other professionals. Building relationships in person can be beneficial for career growth and development.
Professional Image: Some industries place value on having a physical office presence. Working in an office can contribute to a professional image and may be seen as more formal or traditional in certain fields.
Separation of Work and Home Life: For some individuals, having a distinct separation between their work and home environments is important. Working in an office helps maintain this separation, allowing for better work focus during office hours and relaxation at home.
Team Building Activities: Offices often organize team-building activities, events, and meetings that help strengthen team bonds and foster a positive work culture.
Learning and Development: In-office environments may provide more opportunities for on-the-job learning and mentorship. Casual interactions and shared experiences in the workplace can contribute to professional growth.
Facilitated Communication: Immediate and face-to-face communication is often easier in an office setting. Quick discussions, impromptu meetings, and spontaneous collaboration are more feasible when colleagues are physically present.
If you’re a hybrid or fully remote model, what’s your solution to the younger generation that will never have the same opportunities that you had at your company? How do you plan on fostering growth and a truly diverse culture let alone a culture alone?
I’m interested to see where we go from here. I don’t have all the answers, but I have a lot of questions about what you’re sustainable plan is for the future and the next generation.
This truly is an interesting time for all of us.
For now, Averity will be here to assist you in screening, scheduling, coordinating, facilitating feedback, and offering the transparency you need to hire the BEST person for the job. All part of The Averity Experience!