"Hire people and get out of the way."
I have seen many, many, many posts with this theme over the past couple of years. Let employees do their work, their way, at their pace. I see people applauding and championing this concept. For many businesses the pandemic forced a work-from-home model and this idea of employee independence and autonomy was piloted in new places. Many companies and organizations never thought about this option pre-COVID. And yes, for many it worked.
I like the idea of flexible work environments in theory and if it works for you, have at it. But can we at least acknowledge there are businesses where this model doesn't work? There are employees who would not thrive in this kind of work culture. Some people need a structured environment. They need the office to go to and the set schedule to work within. This doesn't make them untrustworthy or less professional.
Posts that suggest having an autonomous work force is the only and right way to run a business leave many leaders feeling like they are abusing staff or limiting staff potential by requiring a more structured work culture. While it may be appealing to say, "Come and work when you want just deliver AB&C," that would not work for most of our work at CDP. Someone has to be here to greet the client, catch the phone call and participate in meetings. Our policy requires two or three eyes on everything. Our work includes shared responsibilities and team projects. Our organizational culture can't be done without working in common space and time. Most nonprofits and many small businesses require staff to wear many hats. Relying solely on project-driven deliverables doesn't cut it. So let's consider this:
To the extent you can give freedom to your team, do it. If they can flex hours in their role, allow it. If they can accomplish things from home without sacrificing culture or deliverable, do it.
Treat your team respectfully and like adults. Don't micro-manage or babysit them. Hire the right people, give them boundaries and expectations to work in and trust them to do the job within the framework that works for your organization.
Don't ignore the fact that your team has a family and home life. Figure out what is reasonable in terms of paid time off, flexible schedules and work-life balance. It's not an OR when it comes to work and home -- it's an AND. Talk to your staff about what is reasonable to expect and let them have input as to what is a win for the organization and a win for them.
We all have to be willing and ready to change as new technologies and ideas present that can improve our work culture. As we observe emerging practices for how to work better and smarter, let's consider those options. But let's be reasonable about what will work for our organizations and not shame each other when the latest fad doesn't fit our organization.
-Mindy Muller, CFRE, President/CEO of CDP
