Dell shares insights helping organisations navigate the hybrid work future
Dell Technologies has shared insights to help organisations in the Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) navigate the hybrid work future.
The report, titled Leading the Next Hybrid Workforce, offers insights to complement and build on the findings outlined in the Dell Technologies Remote Work Readiness Index launched early this year.
The report investigates the role organisations play in designing a hybrid work future. It captures actionable insights and recommendations from four experts: Australian RMIT lecturer Dr Julian Waters-Lynch, Japan-based management consultant Rochelle Kopp, NUS lecturer Dr Rashimah Rajah from Singapore, and Mallory Loone, co-founder of Malaysian learning and engagement firm Work Inspires.
"With work today no longer anchored to a single place and moment in time, organisations must focus on outcomes and be ready to help their employees realise both their professional and personal roles effectively regardless of where they work," says Dell senior VP and general manager, Client Solutions Group, Asia Pacific, Japan and Greater China, Jean-Guillaume Pons.
"While 8 in 10 employees across APJ expressed readiness for long-term remote work, there are still several factors that need to be addressed," he says.
"As we move into the future of work, we hope these insights and learnings can help organisations shape a hybrid, ready-for-anything workforce in line with their business needs."
The Dell Leading the Next Hybrid Workforce insight report outlines three key imperatives that organisations should prioritise as they lay the foundations for a successful and sustainable hybrid work arrangement - leadership, structure and culture.
Leading with empathy and intent
All four experts emphasised that leaders play a defining role in assembling the building blocks of a hybrid work future. The report states they must establish fundamental and innovative changes in their organisations to move forward and show empathy and compassion towards the struggles that employees face - such as the lack of in-person communication and blurred boundaries between professional and personal lives.
"Leaders must seek to establish trust with their employees and embrace an outcomes-driven mindset to avoid falling into the trap of micromanagement," the report says.
Creating a thoughtful hybrid work structure
According to the report, organisations today cannot apply a one-size-fits-all model to hybrid work from an operational and technical standpoint. Employers need to learn more about their employees' preferences to help them succeed in a remote work environment.
To co-design an inclusive hybrid workplace, the experts recommend more open communication between employers and employees. They emphasise the need to balance flexible working and regularity - such as dedicated time for team meetings - to preserve culture and social interaction.
Making culture-building deliberate
The report calls for more deliberate efforts towards culture-building and learning and development to preserve and spark creativity, innovation and collaboration. It cautions against the risk of split cultures between home-based employees and those in the office, leading to tension in office dynamics and perceived imbalances between the two groups.
One suggested solution is for employers to redirect budget saved from daily office expenses and re-invest in dedicated and regular activities for social engagement among employees. Such as team lunches or interactive training sessions. This could help create more opportunities for an organic exchange of ideas, says the report, and the chance to foster trust and stronger working relationships between team members.
