Podcasts
Considerations for
Return to Site
PODCAST INFO
Facilitator: Iseabail Lane & Nina Skorus-Neely
Date: September 17, 2021 12-1:00 pm PST
PODCAST DESCRIPTION
Join us for a panel discussion with industry experts dealing with the complex issues surrounding Return to Work or Return to Site. The discussion will cover everything from what employers can legally ask of employees, to technological, logistical and real estate challenges. A frank discussion on these topics, the considerations and options, is quite timely, particularly if the latest COVID variants cause employers to push back their plans from September until later in the year. Certifications that will give you the most bang for your buck. Since the decision of cloud platform tends to be a choice made by your company, this panel is intended to provide you information to help you skill up for current or future employers.
PANELISTS
Thomas A. Lenz
Partner, Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo, Labor and Employment law, Thomas Lenz: Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romohttps://www.aalrr.com › attorneys-thomas_a_lenz
Thomas Lenz handles all aspects of labor and employment law issues and heads the firm’s traditional labor and National Labor Relations Board practices. He works with employers in all major industries across California and the West. Thomas is a former Chair of the Labor and Employment Section for the California Lawyers Association (formerly the State Bar of California). He also serves as a Lecturer in Law, teaching at the USC Gould School of Law.
Anne Marie Canter
Morgan Insua
IT Infrastructure, Pharmavite
https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-insua-47285b1b2/
Morgan’s current role is as Director of Infrastructure and Cybersecurity for Pharmavite (maker of NatureMade vitamins), a subsidiary of Otsuka International. Part of this role requires him to be an active member of the Global Security Governance team providing direction to all Otuska companies and affiliates worldwide. He is an integral part of the leadership team supporting the organization’ return to work efforts. With over 30 years of experience in the technology industry as both as a consultant and an employee, his expertise has spanned Consumer Packaged Goods to Media & Entertainment – having previously worked with Disney, Universal Studios and Technicolor.
Jeff Zeitz
The Future of Leadership in the Hybrid Digital Workplace
https://www.gartner.com/en/webinars/4004267/the-future-of-leadership-in-the-hybrid-digital-workplace
Jeff Zeitz is Senior Vice President of Enterprise and Workplace Technology at WarnerMedia where he is responsible for the team that maintains the day-to-day operations for the organization’s business technology and workplace solutions, including supporting the company’s global return to office work. Zeitz has been with Warner Bros. as an executive for more than 22 years, previously supporting the Global Business Solutions, and Warner Bros. Pictures International operations business units. Zeitz received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Penn State University. He is based in Los Angeles.
RECOMMENDED READING
Gartner: Future of Work Reinvented https://www.gartner.com/en/insights/future-of-work
Consumer CEOs have many questions about Biden’s vaccine order – CNN Business https://apple.news/AINGGDvmKTcyLRly34Xud5Q
TAKEAWAYS
Hybrid work is here to stay. Companies that apply the lessons learned from remote work will win the war for talent and build great employee working relationships:
Continue open and frequent communications across the organization to align employees behind company direction and help make their work more meaningful
Provide flexibility to define work habits, with a focus on outcomes
Role Analysis. Analyze teams and positions based on work patterns to determine guidelines for in office versus remote
Self Organize. Let teams establish work habit charters appropriate for their roles
Outcome Orientation. Focus on outcomes, rather than monitoring the way in which the work is done, to maintain equity between remote and on-site personnel
Build on the more personal relationships developed thru the pandemic and check in with employees on their emotional well being.
Be aware of and respond with Empathy to emotional challenges
Tool leadership with employee wellness resources
OTHER RESOURCES
Gartner Webinar: The Future of Gartner Webinar: The Future of Leadership in the Hybrid Digital Workplace
https://www.gartner.com/en/webinars/4004267/the-future-of-leadership-in-the-hybrid-digital-workplace
RECORDING
IDEAS
- The entire topic of return to office or return to site is a complicated one. Your organizations have been in planning for this for quite some time. Based on your experience, what topics or company policies might need to be revisit as we plan for return to office?
- Surveys from Gartner, Workfront and others indicate employees would like to continue to work from home 3 days/week, while employers are targeting closer to 2 days per week from home. What are the tradeoffs to consider when finalizing this policy for any organization?
- How do you maintain equality related to decisions about remote work?
- What are some of the circumstances that would drive the need for employees having to return to a physical office?
- What are the rates/trends regarding employees, especially those who work in tech, deciding to look for other opportunities that can accommodate a remote work environment when required to return to an office?
- In instances where a physical presence is not 100% necessary, what are the justifications for not providing accommodations to transition to a remote work situation?
- Remote work has brought on it’s own set of challenges, particularly mental heath issues related to isolation. How do we make it more acceptable to discuss the mental health implications of our recent experiences working during and coming out of returning the office?
- How do you build teams when you have some people hired during the pandemic or afterwards as you have permanent roles remote?
- WHAT SURPRISED YOU as you developed your plan?