Employee Experience, Remote & Hybrid
The traditional workplace is changing before our eyes. In the 90s, offices were famously replaced with open seating for employees. Game rooms were added as technology start-ups became lifestyles as much as jobs. Today, many companies allow employees to work remotely, part-time or full-time.
Some companies, such as energy advisory firm 5, don’t even have a physical headquarters. The entire company works from the comfort of their homes, local coffee shops or wi-fi-enabled parks.
Some Certified companies have unlocked the secret to being flexible about where work takes place. Without sacrificing culture.
Each morning at professional services company 5, employees start the day together by joining a Skype meeting called TMZ. This call serves as their kickoff to the new day, allowing everyone to hear a quick update on what is happening. Remote employees stay plugged in to the culture and conversation of the main office.
Burwood Group supports flexible work schedules and office space, trusting in employees’ abilities to be productive from anywhere, including their homes. The company provides home equipment and everything employees need to be successful wherever they choose to work, whether it’s at home, in the office, or at a client location.
Whether starting early, working late or working weekends, employees are given the freedom to accomplish their work on their time, so long as they get their work done and the company continues to exceed client expectations.
HR tech company Ultimate Software uses remote-controlled robots with iPads mounted on them to enable their virtual workers to be a more tightly integrated part of onsite collaborative meetings.
iOS FaceTime technology that we enjoy on our mobile phones is used to project the virtual employee’s face on the robot’s iPad. Employees can have face-to-face conversations with others in remote meeting rooms. It’s also an example of the company's pervasive priority to include all employees in collaboration.
American Express worked with their HR team to launch the BlueEn Ambassador Program. BlueEn enables virtual networking, as well as a Virtual Career Week, to more than 2,000 employees.
A BlueEn Ambassador’s role is to advocate for resources and support for the company’s virtual population, creating awareness of the BlueEn Employee Network and building connections among remote employees.
American Express's virtual and on-site leaders have shown immense support for the program. In fact, the number of ambassadors at the VP-and-above level has grown by 40% since the program began. Most importantly, this collaboration and show of senior support reinforces a corporate culture that embraces workplace flexibility.
