As the pandemic continues to disrupt our lives, many of us are eager to get back to our offices, others, not so much. It doesn't help that there's still a need for masking and social distancing at the office. It kind of takes the fun out of those water cooler moments that everyone has been missing.
But, a survey last spring by the Harvard Business school found that 27% of workers want to continue working remotely full time.
The majority of workers - 61% - would prefer a hybrid schedule, going in to the office 2-3 days a week.
Not surprisingly, the 18% who want to go back full time are more likely to be married and more likely to have kids. (Reichert, 2021)
CEO's on the other hand want their employees back full time. No surprise there.
But in the face of "The Big Resignation" companies are trying all sorts of ways to lure employees back.
Doner agency has decided that rather than opening an office in Chicago they will launch a new Chicago "talent hub." (Whitman, 2021))
Well, words do matter. Just ask Meta.
Solutions from other companies include:
· JBS USA Holdings Inc. - helping to build homes for employees to buy.
· Levi Strauss & Co. - free computer coding classes
· Target, Walmart, & Amazon - helping to pay for college tuition and books
· project44 - a company-subsidized van - complete with a bed, toilet, shower and wifi so they can combine work with family road trips
But perhaps the most interesting perk is the one being offered by David's Bridal LLC.
During the pandemic the company had trouble getting access to professional models for photo shoots so it turned to its 11,000 employees. Staffers volunteered to take photos of themselves in clothing from the chain and posted the photos on social media.
About 300 people have participated so far, and employee satisfaction is up +20% compared with pre-Covid levels. The company also says that almost all of its workers who were furloughed during lockdown have returned. (Kapner & Cutter, 2021)
Is a Talent Hub just an office by another name? Why do you think modeling was such a hit for
David's bridal? Do you think any of the
other incentives will be successful?
Which ones and why? Have you
heard of any other incentives that you think will work? Can you think of any that should be tried?
Reichert, C. (2021, March 25) Over 80% of workers don't want to go back to the office full time, survey finds cnet.com Retrieved November 8, 2021, from https://www.cnet.com/health/over-80-of-workers-dont-want-to-go-back-to-the-office-full-time-survey-finds/
Whitman, R. (2021, November 4) Don't Call It An Office: Doner Opens Chicago 'Talent Hub'. mediapost.com. Retrieved November 8, 2021, from https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/368416/dont-call-it-an-office-doner-opens-chicago-tale.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline&utm_campaign=124207&hashid=pWUJIUyQGMyJVccRQy8fKxuJEXY
Kapner, S. & Cutter, C. (2021, November 4) When Bonuses and Raises Aren't Enough, Try Manicures and Free Clothes. wsj.com. Retrieved November 8, 2021, from https://www.wsj.com/articles/when-bonuses-and-raises-arent-enough-try-manicures-and-free-clothes-11635949795
9 comments:
After reading this article, I realized the pandemic is actually a challenge for business owners or leaders' leadership. It is not only an innovation or incentive but also a test for CEOs' ability to unite and motivate employees.
The company I work for partnered with Doner. Doner has already been a successful agency with significant revenue, so they certainly have the ability to practice a new type of workforce, no matter whether or not it is effective. "Talent hub" sounds like an exciting name for sure, and it is for sure more than just office; it is a new form of work model. And I believe it is worth trying for businesses; However, It might be risky for small firms to try it.
And for David's bridal, it is such a brilliant idea to use employees to model. It saved expense and can reach out to more potential customers than hiring professional models (Only if they hire Kendall Jenner). The result of this photography might not be as good as using real models, but the goal of advertising/ marketing is to attract customers instead of making art. And I suppose this solution is very beneficial during the pandemic.
One of the incentives my job has to inspire workers to come back to the office is free hotel + free lunch; it didn't impact me much since I live in NYC anyway, a free lunch is not that attractive. But for my coworkers who don't live in NYC, a 4-star hotel for two weeks is a great deal to come to the office and work; it feels more like having a paid trip to NYC instead of having no choice but to work.
I just saw this article published in New York Times that interviewed a bunch of CEOs about their attitude of letting employees work from home. Seems some of them are willing to give employees more flexibility.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/12/business/corner-office-return.html?referringSource=articleShare
I think that having an office is good for people to meet and socialize, specially if you are in a country were people likes it.
But, at the same time, working from home with flexibility of time (not having to take traffic to the office or meetings, not having to have nice clothes and make up everyday) made us feel a little bit "owners of our freedom", so getting back to the office is going to take that out from us.
Now, about the questions:
I think modeling for the company and having your picture shared, is good for the ego and makes you feel part of the company in a different way. That you "an example" for others.
The incentive that i think will be successful is letting people work remotely from anywhere in the world, so it feels like they are working but, at the same time, they are free to manage their lives, without being located in just one place.
by the way, i loved the name "talent hub", much more exciting than "office".
Thanks
Soraia G
From Janae Henderson
A talent hub is definitely an office by another name. I would be very surprised if that gets employees back into the office. My firm is struggling with getting employees to come back 2 - 3 days a week. Thus far, they haven't provided any incentives.
I think what David's Bridal did worked because it gave the employees an opportunity to be a part of the company in a very different way. It allowed them to become spokes people for the brand. What better spokes people to have than employees. When employees are part of the messaging of a brand, they are more engaged and committed employees. I believe this initiative most likely made them feel they were appreciated and respected by their employer. Aside from saving on expenses, it showed real women in their clothes which I'm sure so many customers appreciated.
I feel like any of the incentives you noted could be successful because they provide employees with things that are normally quite costly. People like free stuff. I do find it interesting that the incentives aren't more broad - none of them will appeal to every employee. You will have employees that won't have any interest in the incentives they are offering. I'm also surprised that we aren't seeing more cash bonuses or similar type incentives.
It seems like the “great resignation” means that employees have higher expectations for what their work lives post-pandemic should look like (and that they'll walk if those expectations aren't met).
Employers are thinking about post-pandemic changes too and I'm confident that when offices are changing into “Talent Hubs” it's more than just a name change. These new offices are different: For one thing, I've read how many companies are decreasing the size of their offices with the expectation that they'll need less desks now that their employees are on hybrid work schedules. Now, whether this is really a friendly response to workers best interests, or just a cynical excuse for CEO's to save money on rent, remains to be seen.
However, on the less cynical side of things, I think what worked so well about the David's Bridal employee modeling program is that it increased employees' emotional investment in the company. Many who work around fashion, even at the retail/customer-service level, have dreams about participating in the industry in a more creative way, so I can imagine how being given the opportunity by your company to be elevated from a cashier to a model (even if briefly) would increase loyalty and satisfaction.
The magic of the David's Bridal story probably won't be repeated in other company incentive programs. But I do think the successful ones will either have to make employees feel similarly valued and seen (like those bridal store cashiers turned models), or will have to make a real impact on employee quality of life (like helping with child-care, paying for college, etc).
I have much less faith that more superficial perks (like free manicures, etc) will really help retain employees. But then again, considering how “all decisions are emotional,” perhaps the joy and glamour of that free company manicure will end up being incidental to the decision to stay with that company and will actually help with employee retention.
The incentives that I've heard of that seem to be successful have more to do with the actual day-to-day experience of working. Incentives like employee's getting more control in determining their own, hybrid schedules seem to be the ones that my friends and colleagues are most grateful for; and those are the kinds of perks that I think should be tried.
-Harrison Beck
This blog was interesting to read, as someone who never wanted to work from home, and has been since March 2020. (I enjoy being in an immersive environment when I put on my "working" hat.)
I haven't heard of the "talent hubs," but understand that companies are in a unique position and repositioning themselves a "talent hubs" is a way of showing structure without having to commit to an infrastructure.
I really enjoyed hearing about David's Bridal scenario. I think the modeling was a hit for David's Bridal because of two reasons. One, the employees enjoy working there and are interested in participating and pitching in whenever possible. The second, there is a certain amount of glamour and ego associated with being a part of the modeling world. On a superficial and vanity level, it's a compliment to be referenced to as a model, and to be asked to model clothing, especially something special and fancy, like bridal wear. (Personally, I love trying on gowns and feeling like a princess :) )
I think successful incentives depends on the makeup of the employees within a company, and their needs- and if its a factor as to why they are not interested in returning to an in-office work environment. For example, if the company is mainly parents with children, and child care is an issue, an incentive could be some sort of arranged child care. Another incentive could be something as immediately gratifying and simple as free soda and snacks. People like free.
I really haven't heard of other incentives other than a hybrid work schedule, and I not sure what other incentives might be successful, other than the ones mentioned in the previous paragraph.
Though I have tried to find research to indicate the effects of talent hubs, I was not able indicating any factors of a talent hub that are significantly different from a traditional office. Other than the fact that talent hubs provide an alternative space for individuals to work together, there was research indicating what differentiates a Talent Hub from and office. Yet, David Bridal was able to restore their employee presence in the office. What made David's Bridal such a successful solution to motivating employees to return to their offices was the fact that the company emphasized the importance and necessity of their employees in the work space. According to Globo Force, 39% of employees feel underappreciated at work. I would assume that this number has increased since Covid-19 upon employees discovering that they do not have to engage with a work environment in order to complete the tasks their jobs require ([https://teamstage.io/motivation-statistics/](https://teamstage.io/motivation-statistics/)). Modeling for David's Bridal, gave individuals the space to feel recognized as employees in physical presence of the office. Therefore I believe that any unique incentive that allow individuals to be more engaged and valued with in the work community would be successful to any company. This correlates to other areas like the tech industry, where employees at smaller companies were more eager to return that those who work for giant tech companies—where the individual is not just as important as the skills they provide.([https://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-tech-companies-are-bringing-workers-back-to-the-office-slowly-and-with-social-incentives-11623282583](https://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-tech-companies-are-bringing-workers-back-to-the-office-slowly-and-with-social-incentives-11623282583)). Moving forward, I think that it would be best for companies to highlight the value of the employee in their incentives for individuals to return to office rather than just a need for their skillset.
Talent Hub definitely is a more fascinating way to name an office. Talent hub feels like a place where you can socialize and meet people from different fields. However, just changing the name of the office is not going to encourage employees to get back to office. WFH has provided many benefits that many employees don’t want to lose. You can be in charge of your schedule freely, not having to worry about commute time and dressing up / getting ready to office. Thinking from a management perspective, I do realize it’s been hard for CEOs to motivate employees to get back to on site working.
I think it was a hit to David’s Bridal because during the pandemic, most models don’t want to risk their life in exchange for a paycheck. Models are hardworking people and I respect them all. One of the crucial factors is that models can’t wear masks while modeling for shoots. This is simply too risky. I think David Bridal has nailed the by providing employees opportunities to model. This shows their great problem solving ability which took a turn for the better. Modeling for a company you work for can increase the bond with the company and have a sense of pride. Sometimes, taking things in a different way can bring you unexpected gains. Not only having employees to model for David Bridal reduces their budget a little. For example, consumers appreciate some diversity in models, so showing real women in their clothing pieces can relate to any consumers.
This incentive however might not appeal to all of the employees because some people might not like public exposure and we respect their privacy. I think offering free lunch and hundreds dollar metrocards in NYC can help people get back to the city. Cash bonuses work as well.
I believe that all these efforts to retain employee management is great. There are many ways to retain employee satisfaction. According to this Forbes article, incentives to bring employees back to the work force is to allow employees to transition slowly back to the office. It will take time for employees to adjust the lifestyle of COVID back to normal way of life. Another method is to build employee engagements. This can be done by creating happy hour events for employees to connect with one another, or have team building events that will promote team work within the culture of the business. Furthermore, employees do not want to simply work to earn money, they want to feel valued as an employee, and have a sense of belonging. Therefore it is important to make employees feel involved and appreciated within the working culture through "Employee spotlights" or incentives that will enhance their performance. Another method is to help employees adapt to the new normal. One way to do this is to have a hybrid work schedule that includes paid lunches/ discounts.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2021/07/07/how-to-bring-employees-back-to-work-after-the-pandemic/?sh=45c0885f45a9
Naya
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