Futurespace Courageous Conversations: Future of work and workforce management in a hybrid world

What will your workday look like in one year, let alone ten years? And where will you work? Will your company have an office, or will everyone work remotely? 

This is all part of the changing nature of work as we know it. We have fast become accustomed to change since Covid first emerged, but knowing how to navigate it successfully can be a challenge.  

At the 2024 Futurespace workshops we asked attendees about the trends shaping the future of work, such as remote work, and the challenges and opportunities of managing a hybrid workforce. 

ACE New Zealand Chief Executive Helen Davidson says the sharing by attendees of their personal or businesses’ experiences in this area shows there are multiple solutions to the challenges and opportunities presented, and these can be tailored according to need and the employee experience being curated within the business. 

Team engagement and balance 

One of the core learnings since Covid is how much employees value flexible work arrangements. The 2024 Remuneration Survey findings revealed that this is one of the most effective approaches to retaining all staff (senior management, middle management / specialists and general staff).

But, amidst the benefits experienced is a new set of challenges for businesses, such as how to maintain a connected and engaged team if many work remotely. 

• Hybrid engagement: balance online and in-person interactions to maintain and foster team engagement and connections. Use online tools like Teams to connect with colleagues to foster a sense of community.  

• Wellbeing checks: regularly check in on team members’ wellbeing through surveys and one-on-one conversations. Check out Mindspace’s tools and resources for guidance. 

Read our interview with Urban Connection Technical Director Tony Harrison about how the flexible, remote company prioritises wellness and having a cohesive team. 

Good Earth Matters has regular weekly touchpoints to bring team members together, many of whom are remote, which focus on project work, coordination, and professional development, as well as personal development within the professional realm. It also has quarterly workplace surveys for a more structured check-in. Learn about how the company embraces and supports remote working here. 

Inclusivity and participation  

• Inclusive meetings: ensure everyone can contribute by circulating agendas in advance, recording meetings, and providing multiple ways to engage. 

• Addressing neurodiversity: create spaces that accommodate different personalities and neurodiverse individuals.  

Read the Diversity Agenda’s interviews with Morphum Environment Engineer Declan Schubert and Environmental People and Culture Lead Yuliya Schamrel about how to create an inclusive and welcoming workplace and the benefits for all employees. Once a candidate is hired but before they start, Morphum asks them for basic information, including whether they are neurodivergent. Yuliya says this gives the organisation time to make its workplace better for the candidate and that preparation usually involves having great information and leaders knowing what to do.  

Creativity and problem-solving  

• Brainstorming techniques: have individual brainstorming followed by group sharing to solve complex problems creatively in an online environment. Use online workspaces such as Miro to brainstorm, and be innovative online as a team.  
  
  

Work ethic and productivity 

Good work design supports engagement and promotes wellbeing. Mindspace offers guidance about how to redesign work.  

• Task-based work: consider shifting to task-based work rather than job-based contracting to manage conflicts. 

• Value-based compensation: pay for value delivered rather than hours worked, focusing on outcomes and deliverables. 

Urban Connection has an outcome-driven approach. It doesn’t have timesheets or utilisation targets, and staff charge time to jobs. Read about it here. 

Flexible working arrangements 

• Trust and flexibility: trust employees to manage their work effectively, whether they are in the office or working remotely. See our example flexible work policy. 

Communication is very important for the remote working model as it involves a lot of trust. Urban Connection’s Tony Harrison says: “We make sure all staff are on the same page and if there’s a problem, flag it early and we’ll help with a project’s delivery or talk with the client and try to change priorities.” 

For the ACE team, every Friday we do a weekly wrap-up of key events and achievements and share key items happening in the coming week – it’s a great way to make sure everyone knows what is happening and that we all share in each other’s celebrations.
 

Health and safety 

• Working from home policies: develop clear policies for your organisation’s health and safety responsibilities when employees work from home. Read more about your legal obligations to provide and maintain a work environment that is without risks to safety and health, including mental health, so far, as reasonably practicable.  

• Mental health support: provide support for mental health and well-being, recognising the challenges of remote work environments. Read more about setting up a flexible working culture in your organisation. 
  
  

Mentoring and development 

Investing in the development of your own people can have multiple benefits.  

Beca New Zealand Managing Director and ACE Board Chair Andrea Rickard says: "Succession is very important to [Beca]; we are committed to growing our own people. We’re especially thoughtful about providing coaching, mentoring, training and development to help them identify their own strengths and opportunities to grow their career."  Read our interview with Andrea here. 

• Intentional interactions: plan intentional in-person interactions for mentoring and development, especially for younger employees, to aid skill development, knowledge transfer and to promote pathways.  

• Hybrid training: combine hybrid and structured training opportunities to ensure continuous learning and development. 

Check out The Pillars Competency Framework, a comprehensive non-technical capability framework to help you identify the most critical skills and competencies to thrive as a professional services consultant in a constantly changing landscape. 

Client relationships and collaboration 

• Client support: help clients manage remote work challenges by sharing best practices and supporting their transition. 

• Collaborative tools: use collaborative tools to facilitate decision-making and maintain strong client relationships. 
  
  

 Multifunctional office spaces

• Flexible and purposeful office design: create attractive, purposeful, and multifunctional office spaces that are adaptable to different needs, moving away from traditional open-plan layouts. 

• Shared workspaces: consider shared workspaces for client meetings and collaborative projects. 
  
  

 Future skills and relationship management

• Relationship skills: focus on developing relationship skills to manage remote teams effectively. 

• Continuous learning: encourage continuous learning and adaptation to new technologies and work practices. 

Urban Connection’s Tony Harrison says: “We want to help employees achieve their career goals – everyone should have an area within their job about which they’re passionate. You need to look after your people – invest in them. We allow our staff to try new things if there’s potential benefit to them, clients, and the business. "