There's no one-size-fits-all blueprint these schemes – but there are some overarching considerations
This article was produced in partnership with Cisco Canada
Emily Douglas, managing editor of HRD, sat down with Chioma Phillips, HR business partner at Cisco Canada, to discuss their innovative hybrid polices – and reveal how you can implement a flexible strategy in your organization.
Goodbye nine-to-five, hello hybrid. One of the most interesting, and unexpected, after-effects of the pandemic was the rise of hybrid work – and the dwindling of fully office-based roles. After grappling with remote technology solutions, HR leaders have become connoisseurs of all things hybrid. However, understanding the theories behind a hybrid model and actually rolling one out are two very different skill sets. HRD spoke to Chioma Phillips, HR business partner at Cisco Canada, who revealed the best methods of implementing hybrid working policies in your organization today – and explained the pros and cons of a mixed workplace model.
“At Cisco, we’re considering several factors in our shift to hybrid work – the most important of which is listening to our employees and understanding how hybrid work ‘works’ for them. Hybrid work is going to mean something different for everyone, so leaders and managers need to define what it means it for their teams,” Phillips told HRD. “We're also putting our employees’ experience first to make sure it is a positive one regardless of where they work. At Cisco, we are using our collaboration, security and networking technology to collaborate securely across teams to make our interactions seamless and inclusive of all employees.”
This reliance on remote technology has been the lynchpin of all organizational strategy for nearly two years. Switching to overnight digitization was like a baptism by fire – a test and trial of what works in remote work and what could be improved. At Cisco, Phillips said they’re using technology that allows for full-scale, remote, communication and collaboration – all of which is being used to improve engagement.
“Hybrid work is underpinned by strong technology which is core to driving inclusivity and connectedness with employees regardless of their location,” said Phillips. “Organizations need to consider collaboration tools with the flexibility to communicate in different ways to meet different needs; strong security to protect the organization and employees no matter where they work; and a network infrastructure that can support a consistent employee experience within and beyond an organization’s perimeter.”
It’s clear that remote and hybrid models are the future – but there’s no one-size-fits-all blueprint for rolling out these schemes. As with all things in HR, ‘it depends’ – meaning you have to trial, flex, and adapt for the individual needs and requirements of your people and processes. According to research from Angus Reid, in Canada 77% of employees agree that flexibility in their work location, and as well as their work hours, directly influences whether they'll stay at their job. Globally, that number is 64% - meaning that, for Canadians, flexibility in the overall employee experience is paramount.
“Work is no longer where you go, it's really what you do,” added Phillips. “Right now, we’re still remote, but we will be shifting to hybrid over the coming months. It’s certainly going to be more challenging, ensuring that we give everyone that equal seat at the table. You must begin with understanding what your employees need – what will help them achieve excellence? What are the expectations that employees have to help retain and attract talent to the organization? How do we ensure everyone has that same experience - whether they’re remote, working from home, in a coffee house, or in the office? That experience has to be seamless, it has to be consistent, and it must be inclusive.”
