November 10, 2024 • 15 mins
In this episode we discuss a topic that’s more relevant than ever—how hybrid and remote work models are reshaping engagement and retention strategies. With more companies embracing flexible work models, it’s crucial to understand how these changes are impacting employee engagement and how we can retain top talent in a virtual or hybrid world.
The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of remote and hybrid work, and with this shift comes new challenges—and opportunities—for organizations to engage and retain their workforce.
We explore:
- the impact of these work models on traditional engagement strategies
- the evolving expectations of employees
- the importance of trust and autonomy in remote environments
- how to create retention strategies that work for a dispersed workforce
You can find the show notes for this episode here
Would you like to submit a question to the show? Let us know on our website or via LinkedIn.
Brought to you by Aster HR, the Work Wonders Podcast is hosted by Angela Gauci & Susan Rochester and is recorded at Launch Pad at Western Sydney University.
All information or advice included in this podcast is general, has been developed as a starting point for your business, and should be tailored to your specific requirements. It should not be considered legal advice. We have made every attempt to ensure the accuracy and currency of this information at the time of recording. However, references to things like employment laws are subject to change. For specific advice relating to your business, please get in touch with us.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Welcome to the Work Wonders podcast brought to you
by Asta HR, where we simplifythe human side of business.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
I'm Angela and I'm Susan, let's dive into today's
episode and find out what you'vebeen wondering about.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
In today's episode, we're going to discuss a topic
that's more relevant than everhybrid and remote work models
but we're going to talk abouthow it's reshaping the
engagement and retentionstrategies within an
organisation.
So, with more companiesembracing flexible work models,
it's crucial to understand howthese changes might be impacting
(00:42):
how engaged your employees areand how to retain top talent in
a virtual and hybrid world.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
And so we need to think about how that impacts on
traditional work models ofengagement and also the
challenges that companies face,and give you some actionable
tips for keeping your employeesengaged and committed in this
new era of work.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
So we'll cover the evolving expectations of your
employees, the importance oftrust and autonomy, and how to
create those retentionstrategies that work with a
dispersed workforce.
So let's dive in.
This is the Work Wonderspodcast.
This is the Work WondersPodcast.
(01:27):
Hi Susan, hi Angela.
Hybrid and remote work looknothing new.
We've talked about this quite abit, especially in the podcast
too, but let's talk about whywork models are changing for a
bit.
So we know COVID, the pandemic,has forced us.
We've talked about it before,about how, practically overnight
, we all had to shift intosomething different, or, for the
most part, most industries did.
(01:49):
What started, though, as anecessity, has definitely become
a preference for most employees, or for some workplaces, to
stay.
Hybrid, hybrid and remote workoffer that flexibility and
autonomy, things that employees,having experienced that, are
really, really valuing today.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
That's correct, and in fact, there's a recent study
by Upwork that estimated that by2025, 36.2 million Americans
will be working remotely, whichis an increase of 87% on
pre-pandemic levels.
And that's not just aboutconvenience.
It's about getting betterwork-life balance, but it also
(02:33):
increased productivity andhaving access to a broader
global talent pool.
One more thing I wanted to sayabout that, too, is that there
are many organisations that havetaken their business completely
online now.
Yeah, Interesting so you knowthey've got 100% working remote.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
It's an interesting thought.
You know how it's changedbusiness and saving on rent and
all those sorts of practicalthings and some people really
like the work from home orworking remotely option.
Some don't.
They prefer the office orwhatever it may be.
But with any shift comeschallenges.
So, for example, communicationscan be more difficult.
(03:12):
In that scenario.
Some employees they mightstruggle with those feelings of
isolation.
They don't like to always workremotely or that lack of team
cohesion.
There's something differentwhen you're in the same physical
space as each other.
So businesses need to rethinkabout their engagement
strategies to accommodate forthose employees that are working
(03:32):
in a dispersed way.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Yeah, and I think the first step in that really is
being more intentional aboutmaintaining communication,
especially where there's hybridmodels where you might have part
of the team that's in theoffice while others are working
remotely and that might bechanging day to day.
So you're going to need astrong digital infrastructure
and tools to supportcollaboration and engagement in
(03:54):
that situation.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Yeah, you might already have those in place and
that's wonderful, but now mightbe the right time to stop and
think about it and go.
It might have served us well inthe pandemic, but is it still
serving us well today?
Is it still fit for purpose interms of employee engagement?
So how does this shift thenaffect employee engagement?
The lack of spontaneousinteractions make it really
harder to sort of buildrelationships.
(04:17):
I've heard it said by, I think,brené Brown, that that's when
relationships build.
You know, in the small momentsthat you can't just create, they
just happen.
You know, when you encountereach other in the hallway or
you're talking on the way out tothe car at the end of the day
or things like that, thosethings that you just can't
manufacture online, those thingscan affect the overall
(04:40):
engagement.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah, they can, and so that means that if your
team's working virtually, a partof it's working virtually, then
there needs to be new ways toengage in that realm, I guess.
So that might be virtual teambuilding activities, regular
check-ins and even virtualcoffee breaks to replicate those
casual office interactions.
You know you can all be havingcoffee on Zoom together and
(05:04):
having a chat about things thataren't work.
So tools like Slack, Zoom andMicrosoft Teams are all key ways
to keep the lines ofcommunication open, and we use
those in our business, yeah wedo.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Yeah, look, one of the most important elements of
engaging a remote or hybrid sortof team is trust and autonomy.
So in a remote work environment, a leader would have to trust
that their employees are goingto manage their time and deliver
on results without constantlylooking over their shoulder.
You can't physically do thatWell, exactly, you know, yeah,
(05:39):
that's probably not a newconcept.
People would have had toencounter that, certainly if
your business has been workingin that way since COVID or for
some time.
But micromanagement, as I'mputting it to you there, you
know that simply doesn't work inthis setting and it really will
lead to the opposite effect ofdisengagement.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Sorry, I'm just hesitating because I'm thinking
how would you do micromanagementwhen you've got remote workers?
The constant checking in, yeah,the constant checking in too,
many emails or text messages.
Have you done this, yet.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Exactly If you're enjoying the content on our
podcast.
Did you know that we delve alittle bit deeper in some
webinars that we host?
You can access the replay ofthese webinars on our website
right now.
Some recent ones we did werearound the right to disconnect
legislation and the changes tocasual employment.
To check those out, go toastorhrcomau.
(06:33):
For now, let's go back to theepisode.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Despite what we've been saying about people being
forced to go back to the officeand you know you're hearing it
in the news I really think thatat least hybrid is with us.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
To stay, To stay, exactly.
Yeah, so we are singling outthe hybrid and remote work, but
fundamentally these strategiesis to keep people engaged in
exactly the same purpose.
You know we want to keep themhappy in the workplace and
performing well.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Yeah, and I think you know, in the context of talking
about remote work, what wouldthat look like?
Obviously, I was about to sayyou can't have free snacks, but
there's no reason why you can't.
I'd be quite happy if I wasworking remotely, if a box
turned up the door with snacksfor me to nibble on while I'm
(07:29):
working.
But really what's needed is afocus more on the culture than
those physical aspects ofkeeping people engaged.
So, yeah, having a strongcompany culture that goes across
the board.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Yeah, and look, in previous episodes we've talked
about those elements of trustand you know all of that.
It's no different here.
We're just pointing out that Ithink it requires a little more
intention and adaptability tousing other ways.
You know, like you said, theremight not be Tim Tams in the
kitchen, I might have toactually post it to you.
Is that a promise?
(08:04):
You know that sort of thing,but being creative and being
open and, as we've talked aboutbefore, I think it's important
to think about keeping itconsistent and fair.
Yeah, thank you Around makingsure that everybody you know if
you've got a hybrid workplace,you've got some in the office or
wherever you are workplace andsome at home, potentially, you
(08:27):
know, making it the same foreverybody.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
So the same feeling happens this everyone's
experiencing the same cultureyeah, um, professional
development is another thingthat's going to be important.
Um, just because someone's notin the office doesn't mean they
don't want to grow their careers, so you need to be aware of
that and give them the sameopportunities as you would to
someone who's in the officeevery day.
(08:49):
Yeah, and that might even meanthat you're offering things like
a virtual mentorship program.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
And upskilling opportunities that are going to
keep them engaged and committed.
And if you're interested inmentorship, we interviewed
Selina Jeffrey back in seasonfour about the mentoring
movement that might give yousome ideas if you go back and
listen to that one and flexiblework arrangements and the
(09:18):
potential to be able to workwherever you want to in the
world or the hours that you wantto work your own schedule,
whatever they're really now akey driver of engagement and
we're finding more and moreemployees are expecting to have
that flexibility Absolutely andhaving that available to them is
going to lead to highersatisfaction and productivity
(09:38):
Absolutely, whether you like itor not.
It might be time to take a deepbreath and embrace that that is
happening if you want betterengagement and retention.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Yeah, and a manager that's feeling a little unsure
about.
Oh gosh, how do I lead this isso uncomfortable.
How do I lead people in thisspace?
There's ways that you can dothat.
You can be coached to supportand learn those sort of skills
and adjust the way that you'remonitoring work and outcomes and
things like that?
Yeah, because, like you say, itis here to stay.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Yeah, and I think you know the thing is.
We've just said that it givesemployers the option to access
talent globally.
Well, guess what?
It gives employees the optionto seek opportunities globally.
So that means that you know, ifanything, you need to step up
your retention efforts.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Another thing is thinking about tailoring
benefits you might offer to fitremote work.
So my idea of the Tim Tams inthe kitchen.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Not so silly.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
But, you know, thinking about a way that it's
going to work for you.
If you have a wellness program,you know there might be things
that you're offering to peoplethat are in the workplace with
you, but is it also accessiblefor people that are working
remotely?
Can they use it in the same way?
You know, and I guess it comesdown to that idea of keeping it
fair and equitable amongsteverybody we keep coming back to
(11:05):
that point, don't we?
But I think that's what it'sall about.
Recognition and feedback areeven more critical in a remote
environment, I would argue.
So employees need to, just likeanybody else, feel seen, valued
and heard, even when they'renot physically in the same
workspace as you.
So that virtual recognitionthat we're talking about, so
(11:29):
regularly checking in with themor having a one-on-one meeting
which you're probably doinganyway, but doing that with
intention, in the same way youwould if they were physically in
front of you is reallyimportant.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
I'm thinking also about the right to disconnect,
you know, just because someone'sin the home with their computer
and able to access the networkat any hour of the day.
Yeah, if that's not the casefor the people who work in your
office, then it shouldn't be thecase for people who are working
remotely either, that's true.
(12:02):
So mental health support isgoing to be crucial too.
As we said earlier, remoteworkers might sometimes feel
isolated, which could lead toburnout.
There is a temptation, I feel,for some remote workers to do
more than what they wouldnormally do in their hours.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
I would agree with you.
You know I'm not getting in mycar to go to work.
I'm going to the next room toturn my computer on and work.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
So I can start at 7am , because that's the time I
would have hopped on the train,you know.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Yeah, so there's a skill there to being able to
switch off and some employeesmay need help in shaping that
skill.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Yeah definitely so.
Things like offering themmental health days, access to
virtual counselling services orgetting them involved with team
wellness activities could helpmitigate that and really show
them that their wellbeing isyour priority too.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
And if you do something I just had a thought,
susan like an annual conference,let's say, you maybe bring
people across the state togetheronce a year and you know you've
always done it in person, butnow everyone's hybrid.
You may still make the choiceto go.
No, it's only once a year.
We still want to bring peoplein person for that one day.
And that may be a strategywhere you think, no, that's a
(13:18):
really important way for peopleto get that benefit of being
together.
And I would actually argue thatyou could spend more on your
annual conference, becauseyou're not providing facilities,
office facilities for thosepeople who are working remotely.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
So you go all out and have a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Lots of Tim Tams.
Look, yeah, look what we'retalking about.
It's nothing new.
We've talked about it inprevious episodes.
Before you know around thehybrid and remote work, but it
would be remiss of us not toinclude them in the engagement
and retention piece as well.
As we've explained to you, youknow there are differences in
(14:02):
looking after teams in this wayas opposed to just people in
front of you physically, andit's important to be aware of
that and think about thedifferences as you consider your
strategies around engagement.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Yeah, so have a look at what you're doing now and
think about how that aligns withthe needs of your hybrid or
remote team, if you have one.
If you've listened this far andyou don't have one, well,
congratulations Well done.
But you know, whether it'sabout building trust or offering
flexibility, or tailoring theperks for remote employees, it's
(14:36):
the small changes that can makea big difference.
That's so true.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Look, thanks for joining us today.
We hope that the content fromtoday's episode has been helpful
.
As we continue to talk aboutengagement and retention, as
always, don't forget to hitsubscribe, leave us a review and
tell us what you thought abouttoday and let someone know if
you think that it could helpthem as well.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
And make sure you turn in next time when we're
building on this and discussingemployee wellbeing and mental
health and how that's linked toretention.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
So take care of you and your employees and keep
evolving with the changing worklandscape.
We look forward to talking toyou soon.
Thanks for listening to theWork Wonders podcast brought to
you by Asta HR.
Hit the subscribe button now tonever miss an episode, and if
(15:30):
you'd like to continue theconversation with us, you can
find us over at astahrcomau.
See you in the next episode.
Welcome to the Work Wonders podcast brought to you
by Asta HR, where we simplifythe human side of business.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
I'm Angela and I'm Susan, let's dive into today's
episode and find out what you'vebeen wondering about.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
In today's episode, we're going to discuss a topic
that's more relevant than everhybrid and remote work models
but we're going to talk abouthow it's reshaping the
engagement and retentionstrategies within an
organisation.
So, with more companiesembracing flexible work models,
it's crucial to understand howthese changes might be impacting
(00:42):
how engaged your employees areand how to retain top talent in
a virtual and hybrid world.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
And so we need to think about how that impacts on
traditional work models ofengagement and also the
challenges that companies face,and give you some actionable
tips for keeping your employeesengaged and committed in this
new era of work.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
So we'll cover the evolving expectations of your
employees, the importance oftrust and autonomy, and how to
create those retentionstrategies that work with a
dispersed workforce.
So let's dive in.
This is the Work Wonderspodcast.
This is the Work WondersPodcast.
(01:27):
Hi Susan, hi Angela.
Hybrid and remote work looknothing new.
We've talked about this quite abit, especially in the podcast
too, but let's talk about whywork models are changing for a
bit.
So we know COVID, the pandemic,has forced us.
We've talked about it before,about how, practically overnight
, we all had to shift intosomething different, or, for the
most part, most industries did.
(01:49):
What started, though, as anecessity, has definitely become
a preference for most employees, or for some workplaces, to
stay.
Hybrid, hybrid and remote workoffer that flexibility and
autonomy, things that employees,having experienced that, are
really, really valuing today.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
That's correct, and in fact, there's a recent study
by Upwork that estimated that by2025, 36.2 million Americans
will be working remotely, whichis an increase of 87% on
pre-pandemic levels.
And that's not just aboutconvenience.
It's about getting betterwork-life balance, but it also
(02:33):
increased productivity andhaving access to a broader
global talent pool.
One more thing I wanted to sayabout that, too, is that there
are many organisations that havetaken their business completely
online now.
Yeah, Interesting so you knowthey've got 100% working remote.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
It's an interesting thought.
You know how it's changedbusiness and saving on rent and
all those sorts of practicalthings and some people really
like the work from home orworking remotely option.
Some don't.
They prefer the office orwhatever it may be.
But with any shift comeschallenges.
So, for example, communicationscan be more difficult.
(03:12):
In that scenario.
Some employees they mightstruggle with those feelings of
isolation.
They don't like to always workremotely or that lack of team
cohesion.
There's something differentwhen you're in the same physical
space as each other.
So businesses need to rethinkabout their engagement
strategies to accommodate forthose employees that are working
(03:32):
in a dispersed way.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Yeah, and I think the first step in that really is
being more intentional aboutmaintaining communication,
especially where there's hybridmodels where you might have part
of the team that's in theoffice while others are working
remotely and that might bechanging day to day.
So you're going to need astrong digital infrastructure
and tools to supportcollaboration and engagement in
(03:54):
that situation.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Yeah, you might already have those in place and
that's wonderful, but now mightbe the right time to stop and
think about it and go.
It might have served us well inthe pandemic, but is it still
serving us well today?
Is it still fit for purpose interms of employee engagement?
So how does this shift thenaffect employee engagement?
The lack of spontaneousinteractions make it really
harder to sort of buildrelationships.
(04:17):
I've heard it said by, I think,brené Brown, that that's when
relationships build.
You know, in the small momentsthat you can't just create, they
just happen.
You know, when you encountereach other in the hallway or
you're talking on the way out tothe car at the end of the day
or things like that, thosethings that you just can't
manufacture online, those thingscan affect the overall
(04:40):
engagement.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah, they can, and so that means that if your
team's working virtually, a partof it's working virtually, then
there needs to be new ways toengage in that realm, I guess.
So that might be virtual teambuilding activities, regular
check-ins and even virtualcoffee breaks to replicate those
casual office interactions.
You know you can all be havingcoffee on Zoom together and
(05:04):
having a chat about things thataren't work.
So tools like Slack, Zoom andMicrosoft Teams are all key ways
to keep the lines ofcommunication open, and we use
those in our business, yeah wedo.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Yeah, look, one of the most important elements of
engaging a remote or hybrid sortof team is trust and autonomy.
So in a remote work environment, a leader would have to trust
that their employees are goingto manage their time and deliver
on results without constantlylooking over their shoulder.
You can't physically do thatWell, exactly, you know, yeah,
(05:39):
that's probably not a newconcept.
People would have had toencounter that, certainly if
your business has been workingin that way since COVID or for
some time.
But micromanagement, as I'mputting it to you there, you
know that simply doesn't work inthis setting and it really will
lead to the opposite effect ofdisengagement.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Sorry, I'm just hesitating because I'm thinking
how would you do micromanagementwhen you've got remote workers?
The constant checking in, yeah,the constant checking in too,
many emails or text messages.
Have you done this, yet.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Exactly If you're enjoying the content on our
podcast.
Did you know that we delve alittle bit deeper in some
webinars that we host?
You can access the replay ofthese webinars on our website
right now.
Some recent ones we did werearound the right to disconnect
legislation and the changes tocasual employment.
To check those out, go toastorhrcomau.
(06:33):
For now, let's go back to theepisode.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Despite what we've been saying about people being
forced to go back to the officeand you know you're hearing it
in the news I really think thatat least hybrid is with us.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
To stay, To stay, exactly.
Yeah, so we are singling outthe hybrid and remote work, but
fundamentally these strategiesis to keep people engaged in
exactly the same purpose.
You know we want to keep themhappy in the workplace and
performing well.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Yeah, and I think you know, in the context of talking
about remote work, what wouldthat look like?
Obviously, I was about to sayyou can't have free snacks, but
there's no reason why you can't.
I'd be quite happy if I wasworking remotely, if a box
turned up the door with snacksfor me to nibble on while I'm
(07:29):
working.
But really what's needed is afocus more on the culture than
those physical aspects ofkeeping people engaged.
So, yeah, having a strongcompany culture that goes across
the board.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Yeah, and look, in previous episodes we've talked
about those elements of trustand you know all of that.
It's no different here.
We're just pointing out that Ithink it requires a little more
intention and adaptability tousing other ways.
You know, like you said, theremight not be Tim Tams in the
kitchen, I might have toactually post it to you.
Is that a promise?
(08:04):
You know that sort of thing,but being creative and being
open and, as we've talked aboutbefore, I think it's important
to think about keeping itconsistent and fair.
Yeah, thank you Around makingsure that everybody you know if
you've got a hybrid workplace,you've got some in the office or
wherever you are workplace andsome at home, potentially, you
(08:27):
know, making it the same foreverybody.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
So the same feeling happens this everyone's
experiencing the same cultureyeah, um, professional
development is another thingthat's going to be important.
Um, just because someone's notin the office doesn't mean they
don't want to grow their careers, so you need to be aware of
that and give them the sameopportunities as you would to
someone who's in the officeevery day.
(08:49):
Yeah, and that might even meanthat you're offering things like
a virtual mentorship program.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
And upskilling opportunities that are going to
keep them engaged and committed.
And if you're interested inmentorship, we interviewed
Selina Jeffrey back in seasonfour about the mentoring
movement that might give yousome ideas if you go back and
listen to that one and flexiblework arrangements and the
(09:18):
potential to be able to workwherever you want to in the
world or the hours that you wantto work your own schedule,
whatever they're really now akey driver of engagement and
we're finding more and moreemployees are expecting to have
that flexibility Absolutely andhaving that available to them is
going to lead to highersatisfaction and productivity
(09:38):
Absolutely, whether you like itor not.
It might be time to take a deepbreath and embrace that that is
happening if you want betterengagement and retention.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Yeah, and a manager that's feeling a little unsure
about.
Oh gosh, how do I lead this isso uncomfortable.
How do I lead people in thisspace?
There's ways that you can dothat.
You can be coached to supportand learn those sort of skills
and adjust the way that you'remonitoring work and outcomes and
things like that?
Yeah, because, like you say, itis here to stay.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Yeah, and I think you know the thing is.
We've just said that it givesemployers the option to access
talent globally.
Well, guess what?
It gives employees the optionto seek opportunities globally.
So that means that you know, ifanything, you need to step up
your retention efforts.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Another thing is thinking about tailoring
benefits you might offer to fitremote work.
So my idea of the Tim Tams inthe kitchen.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Not so silly.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
But, you know, thinking about a way that it's
going to work for you.
If you have a wellness program,you know there might be things
that you're offering to peoplethat are in the workplace with
you, but is it also accessiblefor people that are working
remotely?
Can they use it in the same way?
You know, and I guess it comesdown to that idea of keeping it
fair and equitable amongsteverybody we keep coming back to
(11:05):
that point, don't we?
But I think that's what it'sall about.
Recognition and feedback areeven more critical in a remote
environment, I would argue.
So employees need to, just likeanybody else, feel seen, valued
and heard, even when they'renot physically in the same
workspace as you.
So that virtual recognitionthat we're talking about, so
(11:29):
regularly checking in with themor having a one-on-one meeting
which you're probably doinganyway, but doing that with
intention, in the same way youwould if they were physically in
front of you is reallyimportant.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
I'm thinking also about the right to disconnect,
you know, just because someone'sin the home with their computer
and able to access the networkat any hour of the day.
Yeah, if that's not the casefor the people who work in your
office, then it shouldn't be thecase for people who are working
remotely either, that's true.
(12:02):
So mental health support isgoing to be crucial too.
As we said earlier, remoteworkers might sometimes feel
isolated, which could lead toburnout.
There is a temptation, I feel,for some remote workers to do
more than what they wouldnormally do in their hours.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
I would agree with you.
You know I'm not getting in mycar to go to work.
I'm going to the next room toturn my computer on and work.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
So I can start at 7am , because that's the time I
would have hopped on the train,you know.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Yeah, so there's a skill there to being able to
switch off and some employeesmay need help in shaping that
skill.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Yeah definitely so.
Things like offering themmental health days, access to
virtual counselling services orgetting them involved with team
wellness activities could helpmitigate that and really show
them that their wellbeing isyour priority too.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
And if you do something I just had a thought,
susan like an annual conference,let's say, you maybe bring
people across the state togetheronce a year and you know you've
always done it in person, butnow everyone's hybrid.
You may still make the choiceto go.
No, it's only once a year.
We still want to bring peoplein person for that one day.
And that may be a strategywhere you think, no, that's a
(13:18):
really important way for peopleto get that benefit of being
together.
And I would actually argue thatyou could spend more on your
annual conference, becauseyou're not providing facilities,
office facilities for thosepeople who are working remotely.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
So you go all out and have a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Lots of Tim Tams.
Look, yeah, look what we'retalking about.
It's nothing new.
We've talked about it inprevious episodes.
Before you know around thehybrid and remote work, but it
would be remiss of us not toinclude them in the engagement
and retention piece as well.
As we've explained to you, youknow there are differences in
(14:02):
looking after teams in this wayas opposed to just people in
front of you physically, andit's important to be aware of
that and think about thedifferences as you consider your
strategies around engagement.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Yeah, so have a look at what you're doing now and
think about how that aligns withthe needs of your hybrid or
remote team, if you have one.
If you've listened this far andyou don't have one, well,
congratulations Well done.
But you know, whether it'sabout building trust or offering
flexibility, or tailoring theperks for remote employees, it's
(14:36):
the small changes that can makea big difference.
That's so true.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Look, thanks for joining us today.
We hope that the content fromtoday's episode has been helpful
.
As we continue to talk aboutengagement and retention, as
always, don't forget to hitsubscribe, leave us a review and
tell us what you thought abouttoday and let someone know if
you think that it could helpthem as well.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
And make sure you turn in next time when we're
building on this and discussingemployee wellbeing and mental
health and how that's linked toretention.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
So take care of you and your employees and keep
evolving with the changing worklandscape.
We look forward to talking toyou soon.
Thanks for listening to theWork Wonders podcast brought to
you by Asta HR.
Hit the subscribe button now tonever miss an episode, and if
(15:30):
you'd like to continue theconversation with us, you can
find us over at astahrcomau.
See you in the next episode.
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.