The Other Big Lie?

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What It’s About: If you are a knowledge worker, think seriously about how you create real value through what you do. You somehow change the form, fitness or function of a process or data so that it is improved after you’ve touched it. Rarely, if ever, do you have to manipulate something other than your mind, voice and/or keyboard. Even if you inspect, audit, or account, the value is in quality assurance. And if you’re a leader of a group, your job is to make sure the resources and people at your direction achieve desired results at a reasonable ROI. And yes, that often requires decision making, problem solving, and ideally innovation. Where in that description does it imply value creation comes from:

A commute to and from a workplace?
Sitting in a cube “plugged” in?
Standing in line at the cafeteria or going for lunch/coffee?
Paying for parking?
Getting home late/leaving early?
Sitting in meetings?
Searching for a meeting room?

Also, please let me know an example where you created something of substantial value through an accidental collision with a colleague (often at the mythical water cooler, or on an elevator ride, or more recently, in line at the food truck? Honestly)?

So What?: We ALL do need to belong, contribute, make a difference, collaborate, innovate, communicate, care, and produce meaningful results! However, for many workers this does not mean that “returning to work” two or three days a week will get you there, if it ever did. Somehow too many leaders think returning to work includes going backwards. The way we worked before was primarily because that was the only practical way we knew how to get things done. Until recently, we did not have the platforms and tools to create value from just about anywhere. Now we do, and more importantly, many of us have proven over the last couple of years that we know how to do it effectively. Can we become better at it? Yes, we can and we must. However, please don’t think about a hybrid model as a two or three days per week policy. Frankly, that’s lazy and most often stupid. It just emphasizes that your organization is perhaps well intended but clueless about what creates true connection and value through a people first mindset. It’s akin to calling everyone to commute to a campus town hall so we can take two hours to introduce our new mental wellness policy to overcome feelings of exhaustion. Or the executive who announces the mandatory three days in the office policy from his home office (True story… Huh)??

Now What?: Learn from Airbnb’s 105 word remote work policy. Study how the most culturally advanced organizations have applied the remote work approach and apply the following practical principles:

Be as flexible as possible (and a min. number of days/week in the office is NOT).

Don't reduce compensation based on location (companies that want to pay workers less because they work from home will lose talent fast).

Set up regular, in-person team gatherings (Yes, yes, these are important but apply critical thinking as to who/why/when, and plan for it).

Be transparent about the policy and listen. People will make the policy work if you respect what they have to say. (Emphasize that no results means no jobs for ALL, and that is applicable whether remote or not).

Being people first is very different and much better than being Boss First. Show what you can do helping people do great things from anywhere, rather than cracking the whip in your wood or glass paneled office/board room, and bragging to your other country club CEOs that you finally got everybody returned to work cause you’re a “kick ass leader” Phhhhht. Don’t be a regressive putz just because you can. The belief that the only way to work is everyone returning to campus the way we did in the past is another big lie.

One Millennial View: I recognize that for some, returning to a physical office certainly has its exciting and refreshing benefits. I sometimes reminisce about office banter, the simplicity of brainstorming without needing to send another email/text, and coffee that I didn’t pay for. However, it’s the option that’s most important. If you want to go back, great, if not, now you see there’s another way. If you successfully performed your position from anywhere for the last couple years, and you’re being forced back to physical campus, then yeah, you’re being manipulated, tricked and lied to for ulterior motives. At least be aware of that.

- Garrett

Edited and published by Garrett Rubis

The Other Big Lie?

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