The Current Trust Clash
Trust in the new world of work is a hot topic these days. Lots of voices, lots of clashing opinions.
Do leaders trust their employees to put in a full day working from home? Or, as Elon Musk infamously said, do they think staff at home are just pretending to work?
Individual employees wonder why this is even a discussion given that just about everyone did remote work successfully during the pandemic. It seems their leaders no longer believe in them or worse, their leaders are simply clueless curmudgeons stuck in their old ways.
Here’s the good news: Despite all the recent articles about “quiet quitting” and “secret vacationing” (which make for good clickbait) – every leader or manager I’ve worked with since the beginning of the pandemic believes their staff are committed to the work.
But there still is a trust issue.
Before I continue, I want to be clear – it’s high time to rethink the typical workweek for office employees.
The five-day workweek was introduced in the 1920s… to transition from a six-day workweek!
A lot has changed in 100 years (we no longer drive Model Ts), but it took a pandemic to prove that new work models were viable.
I’m glad things are changing, but the evolution is understandably bumpy.
Back to the trust issue…
Leaders and managers on the whole trust individuals and their work ethic, but most don’t trust that a team or company can thrive over time in a fully remote context. My colleague Devin Hughes uses this apt metaphor: Can the organization’s “WiFi signal” continue to stay strong in a remote setting? Or will it weaken?
For sure, some (usually small) organizations have always worked remotely and, for some companies, remote jobs have always existed (e.g. sales reps “in the field”). Still, most leaders and managers I know doubt that a business can execute with continued excellence without regular in-person interaction. This concern explains the trend towards a hybrid approach with a few days in the office along with regular in-person staff meetings or retreats.
THAT’s the trust issue, and it behooves all of us to be clear on this so we can resolve it.
Let’s also be clear about what the pandemic did - and did not - prove.
It did not prove that a random collection of people can immediately shift to fully remote work productively.
It did prove that a group of people – who had worked together in person for (most likely) years and who had a shared understanding of expectations, roles, responsibilities and culture -- could shift to working virtually.
The question many leaders and managers now ponder is: can an organization maintain this level of productivity and excellence as staff members at all levels cycle in and out?
Besides the standard day-to-day work, there’s a need for a healthy, regular exchange of ideas and perspectives. These discussions and chats need to happen in both formal and informal settings for an organization to stay competitive and effective. (Note: conversations that are electronically mediated - via Zoom, Slack, etc. - have not yet proven to be as effective as in-person interaction for meaningful communication, engagement and relationship building. Read more here.)
Usually, the value and frequency of those exchanges depends on the quality of relationships.
From what I am hearing from clients and our podcast guests, these relationships don’t build as quickly in virtual settings as they do in person, unless an intentional, regular effort is made by both managers and non-managers.
I’ve seen this phenomenon a number of times now. Conflicts take longer to resolve, and proactive partnering lessens.
One big brand was blunt about it: Nike’s CEO believes the remote work setting during the pandemic hurt Nike’s product lines, and their bottom line took a hit due to lack of innovation.
If I had to choose, I’d opt for a hybrid approach with my team. I’d involve them in the discussion and decision=making on which days are best, etc. I would then do a clear-eyed evaluation every 6-12 months about what’s working and what’s not, and adjust accordingly.
The effectiveness of remote, hybrid or in-person work, has not been figured out yet – not remotely. (Pun intended. 😊) I for one am excited to see what the workplace will look like in 10 years. If you're ready to explore on this crucial transformation, I want to be your partner in creating a fabulous future of work. Together, we can explore the possibilities that lie ahead.
