Expectations for Organizational Change in the Care Culture

Employees care about how organizations have taken care of (or didn’t) their teams during these trying times.

• they provide support for employees while working from home?
• Were they flexible?
• Did they focus on the health and wellness of their team?

People also remember when organizations take a stand and make their voice heard, whether to their direct community or on social media.

Today, if you want to draw in the best talent, you need to stay true to your values and practice what you preach.

In a recent Deloitte survey of CEOs, a few key findings were uncovered around forecasting for their businesses and employees.

Revenues will return faster than employees.

• 70% stated revenues never declined, already returned, or will return no later than June 2021.
• 26% stated revenues would return to normal between January and June 2022 (4% stated not in the foreseeable future).
• CEO expects more than one-third of employees to be working from home more than a year from now, leading to 26% less office space needed/planned for in 2022.

Digital and health are still top-of-mind.

• 98% say employee health is their #1 concern.
• 85% are accelerating their digital transformation (to keep up with what’s happening/expected).
• 75% identified new partnerships and alliances in the industry.

From an HR perspective, it’s all about adapting to virtual working environments and keeping a focus on diversity.

• Virtual recruiting is here to stay. Lower-level jobs may be nearly 100% virtual (except for the last interaction being in-person). At the same time, senior-level positions will still have a large component of in-person interactions after initial virtual meetings.
• Diversity is playing a more significant role as many companies see they are not diverse enough.
• Prospective employees expect more flexibility in remote working, but the vast majority still want in-person interaction, which is a big part of the culture.
• Recruiting leaders will increasingly focus on employer branding — and see it in a radically new light. Instead of showcasing the company’s products, perks, and office amenities, they’ll publicize what the company is doing to support employees, customers, and communities in times of crisis.

Employees and prospective employees are looking for companies that care and expect more flexibility without losing the culture. That’s a lot to juggle, but you can adapt to their needs if you know what they want.

• Employees look for purpose-based companies. Your employer brand will hinge on empathy and the actual actions taken. They are interested in how the company is giving back internally with employees and externally in the community.
• Prospective employees want to know that you take care of your employees. Expect many to ask during interviews how the leadership handled the COVID situation with your team.
• Employees, prospective employees, and consumers are looking for brands to take stronger stances on social issues.
• 64% of companies will spend more on employee and recruitment branding versus relying on their available information.

To impact your bottom line, you must focus on your people.

“People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care,” said Theodore Roosevelt. I love that quote, and it perfectly sums up the biggest takeaway from the post.

Leading from a caring place leads to recruiting and retaining the best talent, offering the best ideas, creating the best culture, and seeing the best business performance.