Hello Working World readers. My name is Tory McNally, and I am honoured to have the privilege of continuing to share human resources and career expertise in this column. My background includes educational and professional credentials in human resources and personal experience as director of operations at McNally Robinson Booksellers for 10 years.
In that role, I learned first-hand not only how to treat people at work but also why consistency and communication are key pieces for developing and maintaining healthy employee relationships. I learned to juggle the needs of both business operations and employee relations and encouraged employees to share in decision-making to encourage fuller employee engagement.
I consider myself lucky to have grown up in a family business. My parents were strong leaders and business owners who had grit, imagination and daring. They grew their bookstores from neighbourhood shops to large cultural hubs that incorporated books, gifts, food, music, art, and special events. They taught me the values of hard work, kindness, and being curious about the world.
Although my parents, as bookstore business owners, did not draft formal workforce forecasting plans or sketch out organizational charts as we do today, they understood how to recognize and nurture talent, empower employees, and build positive company culture. Building on their success, I engaged in formal human resources training to round out my understanding of how operations and human resources should work together while still considering the constraints of business ownership. Today, I am a certified professional in human resources and the vice-president of HR consulting services at Legacy Bowes, a leading human resource consulting firm. I very much value the opportunity to combine the best of my professional practice and personal passion into my human resources career.
My mentor, Barbara Bowes, who has authored this column for 22 years, is a master of connecting people, giving sound advice, sussing out transferable skills, and persuading people to try new things. Barb hired me as her successor and has cheered for me ever since, while pushing me to master new skills. Her enthusiasm for human resources and workplace culture is infectious, and I am proud to carry on the tradition of exploring these fascinating subjects with you, here in this space.
From a philosophical perspective, I want to share that I believe in the restorative power of difficult conversations, humble inquiry, and the wonder of small business. I believe there is usually a way to find a fair path forward at work, using creative problem-solving to build win-win solutions. I am intrigued by the shifting power dynamics between employees and employers. There is so much to explore and learn about the complexities of the world of work, how we exist and succeed together in it, and how it impacts and shapes our own personal lives.
I am excited to engage in these important discussions together with you the readers — noting trends, sharing perspectives, offering tips, and allowing us to empathize with each other. You will learn that solutions are as varied as organizations, and people doing things at work is an endless source of creativity, drama, and innovation. Here is how I see the world of work in the near future.
The World of Work is Changing
Right now, the world of work is in a state of transformation. Cultural norms about where people work, legislated rights to fair treatment, and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging initiatives are all shifting how we interact. As a result, organizations are moving their focus away from solely streamlining productivity and maximizing profits to a softer approach — encompassing sustainability, human rights, and social responsibility.
The internet is also changing how people work. Employees are opting out of traditional jobs, leaving behind any expectations of conforming to an employer’s schedule and opting into gig work. We are seeing independent work such as delivery driving, pay for completed piecework, or selling goods and services online. These new types of jobs are giving people the freedom to work for themselves, when and where they choose to.
In the office, allowances for employees to effectively work from home are also changing the game.
For instance, technology can track the movements of an employee’s mouse to verify they are sitting in their home office. Managers are beginning to realize that organizations need to pay for results rather than a 450-minute workday. This is the new way of working. Imagine the challenges created for supervisors!
The Hybrid Divide
A divide is being created in our society where those who are required to be at their workplace and those who can work from home are at odds with each other. All of us rely on people who physically go in to work to manufacture our shoes, build our houses, and even get this newspaper to print every single day. Working from home will always remain a small subsection of the population.
The May 2021 statistics on the subject of work indicates that 40 per cent of jobs in Canada could be done from home. However, only 20 per cent of Canadians have been consistently doing so. What is unclear is whether that is because employers have recalled people to the office (perhaps kicking or whining) or because employees like the personal collaboration and promotions that are proven elements of being in the office regularly. Yet, of those employees working from home, 90 per cent report that they do not want to go back to the office. Taking away that perk will continue to be a difficult feat.
Making the case that office real estate shouldn’t sit empty or the fact that the boss likes the hum of a busy space are looked upon as unpersuasive reasons for the average employee to put dress pants on and go to the workplace every day. The freedom to swear off the commute and get some housework done are benefits many do not want to give up. As managers, if you would like to see your people return to the workplace or encourage candidates to apply for in-person positions, I suggest that you must focus on what the value of being together brings to an employee’s life.
The values of any company are expressed in the daily interactions of its people — whether it is a chance encounter in the hall, or a dynamic onboarding process filled with personal connections and experiences. Making work collaborative, fun, and meaningful are keys to attracting new workers and bringing your own people back in. The fear of missing out is a powerful motivator.
Having said that, employee rights are changing the workplace as well and this challenges employers’ traditional responses to employee demands. This means there is now an emphasis on customized employment contracts to accommodate each employee’s personal responsibilities and limitations. We also see quicker action from leaders when poor behaviour is identified, and recruitment searches that extend well beyond close networks to find candidates from disadvantaged groups and people with disabilities. These changes are all necessary and important improvements but present challenges overall.
Building a fair workplace where individual needs are met is not an easy task. Managers are still being pressured to deliver business results while spending more of their day focused on workers’ professional comfort. Luckily, time spent on employee satisfaction has been proven to drive productivity and loyalty.
All these shifting attachments and power dynamics at work are affecting how people act, how employers respond, and how everyone gets along. Maneuvering within this new perspective is an ongoing journey and there is so much to be learned — and gained — for all as things continue to transform.
What about you? How is your work world changing, and how are you adapting as employees and managers? What is emerging as most important for your organization and your people? I would love to hear your observations, thoughts, and feedback. Together, we can build stronger, healthier workplaces that benefit us all.
Tory McNally, CPHR, BSc., vice-president HR consulting is a human resource professional, radio personality, speaker, and problem solver. She can be reached at [email protected].
