3 Workplace Changes We Can't Afford To Lose An economy-crushing year has created valuable shifts that re-shaped company culture for the better.
By Misty Frost Edited by Bill Schulz
This story appears in the June 2021 issue of Start Up.
As we move through 2021, there's a palpablem desire to get "back to normal" as quickly as possible. But in the business world, getting back to normal would be a big mistake.
No doubt, last year was tough and tragic. Yet there have undeniably been significant and positive changes in the way we work, learn, and grow as business leaders. So now, as we inch back to whatever "normal" means, it's important that we cling tight to these three valuable lessons learned from 2020.
Embrace flexible schedules
I've toiled at organizations that attempted to encourage at-home offices. One manager's opinion can impact the entire team and create different policy interpretations across departments, causing frustration among staffers.
But now we're all old pros at working from home! Since employees showed they could stay productive, more businesses started setting long-term flexible-schedule policies. To succeed, they'll have to set clear expectations — and understand their teams' needs.
John Knotwell, the general manager of performance-management platform company Bridge, learned this himself recently. "I had a one-on-one meeting with an employee who shared that working from home with a toddler — whose daycare was closed — was difficult as they tried to manage a typical nine-to-five schedule," he told me. "I realized that flexible schedules make sense for some roles, and allowing them has led to a more engaged, productive team."
Related: What's Your Headline for 2021?
Revamp educational qualifications for hiring
In 2020, many recognized the value of online learning for the first time. In 2021, organizations that previously prioritized four-year degrees from brick-and-mortar universities may understand that there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution to learning. Trade schools or online training programs can create employees who are as valuable as those with a four-year degree. Some astute employers even offer subsidized or free tuition to employees, a key in recruiting and retaining talent.
Here's one good example: Grace Health, a medical provider in Michigan, partnered with a healthcare training company to offer at-work learning. (Full disclosure: I'm affiliated with the training company.) When Grace Health announced this, it focused on how it could now provide "debt-free formal education and on-the-job training for staff who want to become medical assistants but have no experience or training." In other words, it lowered the barrier to entry for those who might have otherwise been left out.
Online learning and professional development also provide viable options for lifelong learning, and this year has helped more employers recognize the value of different educational paths. This not only broadens the talent pipeline but also can help foster a more inclusive workforce.
Related: Five Business Skills Employers Will Want Post COVID
Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion
If 2020 was a year of committing to creating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs for many organizations, 2021 will be the year when statements and expressions of support must translate to meaningful action and change.
BIZ Experiencess are realizing that this means using their voice, even if it's in hot public debates. A small example: Randy Pitchford, founder of video game developer Gearbox Entertainment Company, wrote an open letter to Texas governor Greg Abbott to oppose what he viewed as discriminatory new laws. "Today's workforce — especially millennials, and especially those working in high-tech industries — overwhelmingly support nondiscrimination protections and seek to live in states that reflect the diversity and inclusion they value," he wrote.
Employees respond well to this — as evidenced by a recent Glassdoor study, where 76 percent of workers said a company's diverse workforce is an important factor when they're deciding who to work for.
In 2021 and beyond, changes like these will only grow — and we're better for it.
Related: 4 Limiting Beliefs That Harm Workplace Relationships
