Managers, are you adapting well to the trends of how your employees and independent contractors prefer to work? When you hear the phrase “work/life balance,” does it strike your nerves? Are you suspicious of why some people prefer to work from home because they claim to be more productive?
The 8-5, You-Must-Be-In-The-Office-Forty-Hours-Per-Week-Because-I-Said-So culture has been fizzling out as fast as dial up Internet ten years ago. Some of us who have been brought up to believe that the only way to work is to be in the office are having a hard time adapting to the new way of working…and living. Thanks to technology and a world that is getting flatter and flatter, we have the ability to work anywhere we want at any time of day. And, we are choosing to work when, and where we are most productive – like the CMO or sales manager preparing a presentation for the company’s global sales conference on a yacht eleven miles off the coast of Belize.
Of course, not all of us can be so lucky, but more and more people are working “virtually” and more people are hired as independent contractors vs. full time employees. Add to this the fact that, according to Forbes, job-hopping is the new normal.
So the question is, how can leaders adapt to these shifts?
- Design an on-boarding and training process for temporary hires, independent contractors and virtual workers. On-boarding and training will be more challenging for those who aren’t classified as part-time or full-time employees because they will not be present every day interacting with their managers. Consider how to measure and monitor performance and how you will ensure these groups are delivering on your brand expectations.
- Start getting comfortable with services such as Skype and GoToMeeting. These are terrific and effective ways to communicate with people around the globe. You should also familiarize yourself with cloud-based collaboration software such as Yammer.
- You will become a more attractive employer for top-tier talent if you recognize and compensate people for what they produce and achieve versus when and how often they are in the office. The employers of today and tomorrow understand that not all people are most productive from 8-5 (Think about constant interruptions, socializing too much with chatty co-workers and that mid-afternoon slump after having that high-fat cheeseburger and sugary Coke for lunch.) “Night owls” will tell you that they think the clearest, are more creative and more productive at 2:00 in the morning than 2:00 in the afternoon. That’s just how they are wired. Take advantage of it.
- Working through problems and conflicts will prove to be more challenging as well, especially with independent contractors and freelancers who serve several clients. Learning and practicing good leadership skills such as Active Listening , I-Messages and Conflict Resolution will be crucial to ensure everyone is playing well in the sandbox together. Remember, the good contractors and freelancers are in high demand and don’t rely on one person or company to earn a living like an employee. You’ll need to strike balances and resolve issues so that everyone gets their needs met.
- Creating a decision-driven culture will ensure that projects keep moving forward expediently and it will also keep your company competitive. Analysis paralysis kills morale, de-motivates and impedes growth. As one CEO shared with me, “If you don’t always have something moving forward, or if you aren’t worried about your business when you go you bed at night, you’re not pushing hard enough.”
It’s the new way business is being done, and getting done. Some employers may view this evolution as losing control. The other employers view it as giving employees and contractors the freedom to do their best work under their own, personal, ideal circumstances.