Even before the pandemic, many had accepted that the war for talent was over—and that talent had won. But Covid-19 has tipped the scales even further in favor of highly skilled, in-demand talent, and businesses are being forced to respond.
When Covid-19 burst onto the scene, we found ourselves catapulted into the great unknown. The future of work was suddenly the present of work. And now, nearly a year later, the mass experiment in working from home is yielding some dramatic changes—some of which may still prove to be temporary, but many of which are here to stay.
But one thing is clear: This past year wasn’t about hitting the pause button—it was the reset button. 2020 will be remembered not for its lockdowns, but for all it unlocked. Topping that list? A new set of employee expectations.
Leaders will be well-served not only to understand these new expectations, but to adapt to what’s been coined “The New Employment Deal.” Here are five areas employers should be prepared to address in 2021.
1. Personalized Flexibility
Even post-Covid, remote work is likely here to stay, with nearly 50% of employees working from home at least some of the time going forward. That flexibility is paramount to not only satisfaction, but performance. A 2020 Employee Survey conducted by Gartner
But a blanket flexibility policy, such as allowing a few days per week of working from home, won’t cut it. In-demand skilled workers know they have a choice when it comes to where they work, both in terms of the organization and their preferred location, and to attract top talent, employers will need to be willing to accommodate those individual needs and preferences.
The trick, of course, will be figuring out how to do that at scale, while maintaining structure and standards. Sid Sijbrandij, CEO of GitLab, has long advocated that companies embrace a fully remote model and the detailed rules of the road required for it, but we’re bound to see a variety of other possibilities emerge.
2. Good Corporate Citizenry
Long before the recent social uprisings sparked a new level of community involvement and social intervention, corporations had been touting their devotion to causes of every kind. But true corporate social responsibility means putting your money where your mouth is. A cookie-cutter corporate statement on the company website isn’t enough. Employees are aligning themselves with employers whose actions speak louder than words.
Gartner’s survey revealed that while 40% of the respondents were considered highly engaged, the number jumped to 60% when the organization took action on today’s…
Read More: What Your Workers Really Want