New ways of working are needed

Are we asking the impossible? Everyone’s talking productivity, but do we understand our team’s capacity and capability?

We’ve all embraced – often out of necessity – new ways of working. Are these new ways the right ways for your business and your people to manage change effectively and have a positive impact on productivity and employee wellbeing?

Understanding capability means recruiting for skills, not jobs, and working with the resources you’ve got to deliver on the business purpose. The survey indicated that just a quarter of workplaces felt they were effectively embracing new ways of working and promoting internal talent. Almost half of our respondents felt they were failing to address the reasons why people leave their jobs, and a third of those surveyed said their workplaces were not responding well to job satisfaction concerns.

What the survey highlighted was that:

Only 25 per cent of workplaces are embracing new ways of working well
Only 26 per cent of businesses re effectively promoting internal talent

What can you do?

Everyone’s talking about the need to be better at working differently, but the reality for many is that businesses are complex, and additional pressure to pivot and bring on new revenue streams can add fuel to the fire. Improving links between Strategy and Operations are crucial and focussing on business transformation not just digital transformation in the short term to as the processes, skills and systems need to evolve with you.

Leaders could ask themselves:

What are the business’s primary activities and what does it take to deliver these?
What unstructured or undocumented processes could be hampering the business – especially around new systems, change, new ideas, and creativity?
What skills do you have in the business right now, and how can you take advantage of these?
What skills are you lacking which is leading to some initiatives being paused?
Are we investing in people who help cross-business functions?

Practical Solutions and Resources

FREE Resources for EMA Members

To access these resources, login using your EMA Member account.

FREE Digital Library with First Steps

Through First Steps, and available to members and non-members, you have free access to the small to medium business-focused Workplace Wellbeing Risk Diagnostic Tool, and a range of e-Learning and resources.

Assess how your organisation is coping with their wellbeing and to identify key areas to develop as an organisation.

Free Digital Learning:

Building capabilities

1:1 Assistance from an expert:

Succession Planning consultancy

Succession Planning is a critical component of your overall talent strategy. Without Succession Planning, you are likely to be scrambling to fill vacancies and find suitable talent for critical roles. When this happens, higher costs are incurred, and business operations could be disrupted. Our Succession Planning consultancy option helps you mitigate this risk.

Employee Value Proposition (EVP) consultancy

Your EVP is an internal promise to your employees that defines what people get from working for your company. It helps you build your brand’s internal and external perception and attract and retain talent for your organisation. We are working alongside many of our members and non-members to help them develop a clear and attractive EVP that attracts the talent they need to grow their business.

If Succession Planning and EVP is something you’re keen to learn more about, please reach out to pxp@ema.co.nz

Resources:

Courses

Influencing People

If your role relies on building strong collaborative relationships with colleagues and other stakeholders, this course will prove invaluable. Suitable for people at all organisational levels, it will improve your ability to influence a wide variety of people, right to the very top of an organisation.

Personal Effectiveness – Managing Your Time and Self

If you feel constantly stressed by your workload and consider yourself time-poor, this workshop will get you back in control. Brush up on your time management skills or send a colleague.