Our major objective was to develop a set of support materials for staff working from home, and their Managers, and concentrated on the issues of (i) technology (ii) staff welfare and (iii) how to manage staff working from home e.g., to keep those staff working from home as healthy and productive as possible.
It's evident that a major change is taking place in how existing and future employees view the world of work. When it comes to attracting and retaining top personnel, a large payment is no longer enough. The priorities have shifted and a growing desire for greater work-life balance has emerged. However, the transition to a hybrid workplace model can fail or bring negative consequences if there is a lack of technological tools and operational requirements, the absence of clear and effective communication as well as a convergence of mindsets and goals between management and staff personnel. Therefore, it is necessary for organisations to spend time and valuable resources updating employee training and policy communication. This new hybrid working model, that is being implemented throughout Europe, requires Managers and employees to develop new tools and competences (and a different mindset) and as there is currently no ‘manual’, or training, for Managers or employees to guide them during this transition this WORKSMART project addresses these issues. Managers and employees will need to rethink workflow, supervision, motivation, human relations, trust, conflict management, training, and growth.