Over a year has passed since the pandemic struck the world, killing millions and restricting hundreds of thousands in the UK to working from home.
During
these extraordinary times, inequality and discrimination issues have come under
the spotlight - triggering riots and social movements. Many corporates
have embraced their responsibilities and committed themselves to change within
their organisations, under the watchful eye of employees, clients, and the
public.
However, jump forward to
restrictions lifting in the UK, and businesses are at grave risk of undermining
all this hard work with the very hybrid working practices that they hope will
enhance the working environment.
Leading Cambridge firm
of business psychologists, OE Cam, is urging businesses to consider the
unintended impact of hybrid working. Their modelling suggests that
planned policies will likely lead to greater discrimination and a lack of
diversity within organisations in the UK and offices worldwide. The very
flexibility to work from home that is being welcomed by employees, may
inadvertently lead to those who choose this option suffering detrimental impacts
to their careers by missing out on opportunities.
OE Cam's insights into
hybrid working - published in a journal launched this month - has revealed that
organisations could face having to backtrack on diversity initiatives that have
taken decades to put in place. Diversity & Inclusion policies - that
ensure women, the disabled, parents, older workers and culturally diverse
employees have equal opportunities in the workplace - could be seriously
undermined. Business performance will quickly follow.
The team of organisation
consultants and psychologists at OE Cam has explored how businesses will be
affected as they move to a hybrid working model. The formation of ‘in-groups'
and ‘out-groups', something that has been noticed by organisations during
remote working, will be even more prominent in a hybrid workforce.
'Present privilege' means that those in the
workplace are more likely to be involved in spontaneous discussions in the
office and have better access to the boss - meaning that they are more front of
mind for that promotion.
Those working remotely,
who may potentially include greater numbers of working mothers, the disabled
and minority groups, will be left at a disadvantage, finding themselves a part
of the ‘out-group'. Over time this could lead to them becoming unnoticed, left
without a voice, the ability to contribute or progress.
Martyn Sakol, Managing
Partner at OE Cam, explains: "I saw first-hand in a meeting I observed, how
remote workers became disadvantaged over their physically present colleagues. A
team was considering a significant deal. It adjourned for a planned break.
Those who were working remotely logged off to take a comfort break alone, while
those in the office continued group conversations. When the meeting resumed, it
became glaringly apparent that the opinions on how to shape the deal had
changed amongst the office-based team; their new stance did not reflect
conversations that had included any remote participants. It was apparent at
this point that the implications to businesses worldwide could be hugely
damaging.
"The issue for any
organisation now is to reduce the effects of out-groups. Businesses must be
mindful of which employees are the ones most likely to wish to work remotely
most of the time. Experts believe that there are certain groups this will
include: those with caring responsibilities, parents (with more mums choosing,
or even feeling obliged, to work remotely over dads), disabled employees - for
whom the commute can be more difficult - and older generation workers, hoping
to improve their work-life balance.
"To prevent these staff
from losing their voice, their ability to contribute effectively to the
business and their chance of promotion, firms must take active steps. This is
not something that will just ‘work itself out' as teams become accustomed to
hybrid working."
Age imbalance between
city-dwelling young staff and commuting senior managers will also create
challenges. The experts warn that offices could become playgrounds for young,
inexperienced employees working without hands-on managerial support. The lack
of experience, guidance and support from experienced peers will lead to weaker
employee development, affecting complex decision making, creativity and
collaboration. Those inexperienced, professionals may unknowingly use their
‘present privilege' to shape the business and create a new culture that is
misrepresentative, and potentially destructive, reversing a company's progress
by decades.
Mr. Sakol continues:
"Hybrid offers huge advantages, but the risks must not be underestimated.
Business leaders must take note of all the impacts and consider the
complexities to ensure they cover all bases for all employees. No-one should be
compromising their career by choosing to work from home more. No business should
lose the value of their team's inputs, because they have not been given equal
ability to make an impact."
OE Cam recommends that
organisations engage their management teams now to consider the
complexities and understand the effect hybrid can have on their operations. OE
Cam's modelling and simulation programmes have already identified unexpected
issues and solutions to them.
For further information on the
complexities of hybrid working, 'The OE' - the journal containing the report's
findings, can be downloaded free of charge on the OE Cam website.