Beyond the Hype about Work3: What will it mean for human employees
As tech evangelists tell us of the transformative nature of Work3 on our working lives, organizations face a fine balancing act: capitalize on its benefits while being sensitive to the very human needs of employees. And this isn’t just a moral imperative, as organizations feel increasingly fragmented and less human, they face the risk of a crisis of employee engagement leading to greater fragility.
Work3 describes a new approach to employment, facilitated by technology. Unlike traditional models that tie work to specific times and places, in theory this decouples tasks from these constraints, allowing individuals to choose when, where, and how they perform their duties.
Listening to Work3 enthusiasts, it’s not difficult to get caught up in their zeal. They argue that this paradigm shift empowers employees, fostering creativity and self-fulfillment. As organizations evolve from rigid, office-bound schedules to more dynamic and personalized arrangements.
Diminishing employee engagement
Not so fast, argue its detractors. The transition to remote work so far doesn’t have a great track record when it comes to diminishing employee engagement and exacerbating mental health issues. Reduced face-to-face interactions heightens the risk of social isolation. Gallup’s research indicates that 25% of fully remote employees experience daily loneliness, compared to 16% of on-site workers.
The absence of in-person contact with line managers further compounds these challenges. Effective communication between managers and employees is crucial for understanding and addressing work-related issues. A study in HR magazine highlighted that remote working can cause a communication gap between managers and employees. This means that line managers are less likely to know the individual strengths and weaknesses of their people, and less likely to understand their team’s challenges.
Face-to-face interactions are instrumental in building trust and rapport among team members. Take these out of the equation and we end up with feelings of isolation and decreased job satisfaction.
Moreover, the lack of spontaneous conversations in a remote setting means fewer opportunities to discuss and clarify tasks, which leads to misunderstandings and decreased trust.
Additionally, career development tends to be a priority for most employees. Less in-person contact with their line-manager has led to fewer opportunities for meaningful career development conversations. This leaves them feeling that their personal development is overlooked.
Likewise, regular face-to-face interactions provide for those important mentorship opportunities, without which employees can feel further adrift.
It is inevitable that workflows will become more digitalised, organizations will become more de-centralised, the work-from-anywhere- trend will continue, and AI will play a larger role in what were previously exclusively human interactions. At Threshold we have been helping our client organizations to capitalise on these trends while continuing to build very human organizations that are high on social capital and keep their people loyal and engaged. It is possible to achieve that both-and holy grail.
We never forget that organizations are essentially human systems and humans are a social species.
Five core social motives
Susan Fiske, Professor of Psychology at Princeton, identifies five essential needs of any social species, what she calls the ‘five core social motives.’ We have found this to be the most useful checklist to help our clients to understand the extent to which they are creating a workplace where essential human needs are met.
1. Belonging
Humans have a deep-seated need to connect with others. In a remote or hybrid setting, line-managers must foster virtual and in-person social interactions, such as team retreats, informal online chats, and ideally in-person, or at least telephone conversations.
2. Understanding
Employees need clear communication and shared meaning in their work. Companies should implement structured knowledge-sharing practices, encourage open dialogue, and collaboration. Line-managers should regularly make time to talk through where the company is headed, what it’s plans and aims are, and the individuals’ role in that.
3. Controlling
People seek a sense of autonomy and predictability. To meet this need, organizations should provide transparent policies, flexible work structures. Line-managers should listen to employee feedback and ideas for improvement and champion them within the organization.
4. Enhancing Self
Employees want to grow and feel valued. Line managers must regularly give constructive feedback that supports improvement. They must focus on and talk about the strengths of their people. And they must have regular and meaningful career development conversations, on which they follow up with action.
5. Trusting
A psychologically safe workplace fosters engagement. There is a wealth of evidence to show that we trust people with whom we have more frequent contact, and the simple fact is that in-person contact is far more likely to build trust than any other. Line-managers must make themselves available for regular, frequent two-way conversations. Language also makes a difference. Choosing words that are jargon-free, plain and straight-forward creates a sense of trust.
At Threshold we are helping our client organizations to prepare for Work3, ensuring that they have robust and cohesive cultures. Our role is to help line managers turn these behaviors into lasting habits by demonstrating what good looks like, why it matters, and equipping them with the skills and confidence to put them into practice. To find out more visit us at www.threshold.co.uk You can also watch our latest video series on our YouTube channel.
