Vu Hoang is the CEO and Founder of RocketLevel, a leading all-in-one marketing platform.
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As we all already know, there’s a huge shift happening in the workplace. Some of it’s been driven by Covid, but much has been powered by a deeply human need to explore talents in new ways—and maybe even in new places.
What does this mean from a company’s perspective? For my team and I, it’s been about taking a good look inward and asking some potentially uncomfortable questions. For instance, what do we need to do to embrace this change that’s happening versus responding to it as a threat? How can we repurpose our space now that we are mostly working remotely? Can we still work in an open office? We certainly don’t need a big office building in the ways that we did before the pandemic.
But it doesn’t stop there. It’s also about rethinking your team and how it works. At our company, which has a remote open office environment, we’re converting a lot of space into video studios because we know that if we’re mostly remote, we can repurpose the space. So, we’re recruiting and building a team across the country versus limiting ourselves to just local talent.
Finding Versus Fighting Talent
I’m hearing that a lot of big companies are fighting this hybrid office environment instead of embracing it and working with it. Google keeps going back and forth with it, partly because people are pushing back and saying, “We’re not going to do it.” Goldman Sachs’ CEO ordered people to come back into the office—and nearly half chose not to. Many companies are trying to force employees back into the physical office, but many respond with, “Nope, I’m quitting. I’m going to find something else.” And then the companies back down because ultimately they must stay in business.
MORE FOR YOU
So, what’s working for companies who want to recruit and retain talent in the “YOLO economy” and “hybrid workplace?” Obviously, flexibility is paramount. But there’s one major keyword to include in most of your job postings: “remote.” With more employees than ever creating their own path forward based on their preferences and lifestyles, and a constantly revolving talent pool, it’s no wonder that remote jobs have risen dramatically in popularity since the pandemic. Why be chained to a desk when you can live and work from literally anywhere?
Here are some good ways to attract (and retain) “YOLO economy” talent:
• Offer remote work opportunities as a recruiting tool but acknowledge that not everyone wants to be a remote worker. Extroverts (such as sales teams) feed off each other and really need the creative energy of co-working.
• Create an open desk/social working model for those who want to have drop-in opportunities to collaborate, mentor and socialize with their teams.
• Design spaces around the office for specific purposes like problem-solving, creativity and brainstorming.
• Recruit more people in more places to keep your team fresh and energized.
• Remain adaptable to changes as they occur and try to prepare for the unknown as much as you can.
• Track successes and offer more rewards to recognize great work so that people don’t feel like they’re working in a vacuum.
That last point is perhaps the most important one, because one of the top reasons people leave companies is because they feel underappreciated for their efforts. At our company, we have developed a tool where we can actually track progress and performance better. And then there are little bonuses that we can implement so that people feel seen and rewarded.
What we’ve learned is that the only real problem with remote work is that you lose the human element to it—so people don’t know what anyone else is accomplishing unless they hear it from someone else. We need to be sure employees are recognized and rewarded so that they are also ultimately retained.
What I think has been remarkable is that this has been a great learning experience for all of us. We’ve learned more about how we work, we’ve learned how some people work great one way and some people work better another way and now we all must learn how to navigate work in a new hybrid environment.
But one thing hasn’t changed: No matter where their desk happens to be located, keeping your top talent should always be one of your highest priorities.
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Author: Vu Hoang, Forbes Councils Member
