Worldwide, remote working has resulted in a shift in workplace attitudes and expectations, including a boom in digital skills for employees and a demand for more emotionally intelligent leaders, new research from the Adecco Group has found.
The global HR company surveyed 8,000 employees from more than eight countries – including Australia – and found six out of 10 felt they had improved their โtech knowhowโ with 69% eager for further digital upskilling.
Adecco Group CEO Alain Dehaze said a return to the old โnormalโ was not likely given the โsudden and dramatic changeโ in the workplace landscape since the pandemic.
โIt has accelerated emerging trends such as flexible working, high-EQ leadership, and re-skilling, to the point where they are now fundamental to organisational success,โ he said.
โAs we step into the new era of work, now is the time to establish better norms that will enable a holistically healthy, productive and inclusive workforce into the future.โ
Canberra Business School lecturer in entrepreneurship and innovation, Diane Phillips, said current workplace arrangements were a perfect example of โnot letting a good crisis go to wasteโ.
โA crisis changes so many things and while we do have to consider different personalities and learning styles, anecdotally, productivity has gone up,โ she said.
โThere is no time wasting, meetings are more efficient – maybe itโs because of an expectation to demonstrate trustworthiness.
โBut we have only scratched the surface of what could change.โ
Ms Phillips said flexible and remote learning was already trending before the pandemic, but the real surprise had been the swing away from neo-liberalism, towards kindness.
โItโs been missing for a while now, but it does feel like itโs balancing back,โ she said.
โMy boss now starts our meetings by asking if everyone is alright and ends it by telling everyone to stay safe.
โConcerns for people are genuine.โ
Emotional intelligence has emerged as a sought-after business skill, with 28% of those questioned reporting a worsened mental wellbeing due to the pandemic and only one in 10 rating their managers highly on their ability to support their emotional health.
Eight in 10 (80% of) employees believed their employer was responsible for ensuring a better working world post-COVID.
University of Canberra Assistant Professor of Psychology, Dr Vivienne Lewis, said although some leaders were naturally emotionally intelligent, it was also up to employees to be assertive about their needs.
โYou can teach someone how to recognise behaviours and look out for warning signs that people are overwhelmed or burnt out,โ she said.
โItโs about realising people are anxious, depressed or struggling and checking in with them.
โWork/life balance is crucial to our mental health and wellbeing.
โAnd by that, I mean enjoying work, feeling productive, making a contribution, and having a manageable workload.
โTo get it, you need to follow a routine, start and finish work at the same time, take regular breaks and donโt allow your workdays to blow out.
โWe all need time for recreation with family and friends to enjoy a balanced life,โ Dr Lewis said.
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