In the midst of “The great reshuffle,” even as many workplaces are opening back up, we’re also seeing more CEOs who are deciding to stay with a hybrid workplace. Building on this trend, a growing number of CEOs are embracing a fully remote workforce as a way to attract and retain key talent.
So which arrangement is best? The answer depends upon your industry and the nature of your company. Generally, knowledge- based companies lend themselves to a remote workplace more than manufacturing-based companies.
However, before you make your decision, consider that surveys of workers show a push and pull between the benefits of working remotely and the danger of disconnection among those who are not routinely interacting in person.
For instance, according to a Pew Research poll conducted in February 2022, 60% of workers with jobs that can be done from home would choose to work remotely once pandemic working restrictions are lifted. However, the poll also revealed that while 44% of respondents believe working from home makes it easier to complete their work, 60% also feel less connected to their coworkers.
So what can you do to increase engagement for remote workers? As a first step, ensure that you have top leadership commitment to the strategic reasons you’ve decided to embrace the hybrid or remote workplace. Doing this will enable you and your team to sustain the extra effort of transforming in-person meetings and interactions into meaningful virtual connection.
For specifics on this topic, listen to episode 206 of Growth Igniters Radio with Pam Harper & Scott Harper, “How CEOs Can Strengthen Employee Engagement Through Virtual Events.” We spoke with Robbie Samuels, a business growth strategy coach who is also a virtual event design consultant and executive Zoom producer. During our 30-minute conversation, we covered a number of critical points for what CEOs and other senior leaders can do to maximize the value of virtual meetings so all attendees can gain more value and engagement. these include:
- How strategically designed virtual events can open new conversations that foster company culture
- The roles of CEO and C-level leaders in ensuring a successful outcome for virtual events
- Immediately useful ideas for creating high impact virtual events with less stress and greater participant engagement
