This text is part of the special section Unionism
Recent upheavals in the world of work, such as the massive introduction of teleworking as well as the labor shortage, are harming certain employees, particularly from a human relations point of view, note organizational development experts.
A new organization in many companies, characterized by a hybrid model, strongly accentuates isolation and loneliness, analyzes Jean-François Bertholet, organizational development consultant and lecturer at HEC Montréal.
“When working remotely, employees must work extra hard to create real meetings with their colleagues. Chance encounters in a corridor or around the famous coffee machine, even if it is a cliché, no longer happen by chance; you have to force them. This is why interpersonal bonds take a long time before they become deep and consolidate,” believes the one who also wrote the essay.The feeling of injustice in business (Éditions Mardaga), published in 2021.
This physical distance certainly requires a certain amount of planning in human interactions, but in addition, he continues, it can create exasperation among certain people, especially between white-collar workers, that is to say executives or people working behind a computer, and blue-collar workers, who often carry out the tasks.
“Employees may feel that managers are completely disconnected from reality on the ground. So, when they receive orders or directives, it can generate a great feeling of injustice, especially if the instructions come from workers sitting at home, drinking their coffee,” he observes.
Reinventing corporate policies
The researcher, however, wishes to qualify his remarks, recognizing that this formula has considerably increased the flexibility of workers while allowing them to better balance their professional and personal lives. With this model now well established, companies are now forced to reinvent their policies to ensure that employees working on site and remotely are treated fairly, with equal opportunities for success, he adds.
“To maintain energy and innovation in a business, the power of Zoom remains considerable. I remain convinced that in the long term, we can maintain optimal relationships with a level of collective energy, even effervescence, with regular virtual meetings,” underlines Mr. Bertholet.
The labor shortage is also forcing many employers to offer more generous salary conditions to attract talent, which disrupts fair access to professional opportunities within the company, notes Marie-Hélène. Chèvrefils, founder of Evō Conseils, a consultancy specializing in human resources management and organizational development.
“With regard to internal equity, these job offers unfortunately create an imbalance, especially among those who occupy a similar position, having demonstrated loyalty for a long time without having received such attractive conditions when they were hired. », Says the one who has already been a lecturer at HEC Montréal. In a period where staff retention has become a burning issue, these disparities are significantly disrupting the world of work, according to her.
Obviously, these attraction strategies accomplish their mission, which is to secure a seat in an organization. For meme Chèvrefils is a short-term success, but in the long term, the perception of injustice is felt since people talk to each other and above all compare themselves, even if they sign confidentiality clauses about their contract. The human resources management specialist indicates that these disparities can inevitably lead to the exodus of long-time employees.
Work where life is good
However, several solutions are on the table to attract young recruits rather than seducing them with money. “Salaries are no longer an end in themselves. A recent study mentions that when an employee receives around $77,000 per year, it is very likely that he will not ask for more salary increase, but he will perhaps demand better work balance, better recognition of their identity in the company or inspiring professional perspectives,” explains the founder of Evō Conseils.
In this era of hyperpersonalization of work, adds Marie-Hélène Chèvrefils, it is essential that managers question themselves, by including their employees more in the discussion, about the levers they have at their disposal to recruit and thanks to which the company stands out.
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.