How employees can succeed in a hybrid workplace
To succeed in a hybrid work environment, employees need to build real human connections to really get to know the people they are working with, said Chelsea Watt, Regional Chief Operating Officer for ESG at KPMG Asia Pacific.
Speaking with the University of New South Wales’ BusinessThink website, Watt also highlighted the importance of giving your undivided attention during virtual meetings. “It makes them more effective, questions can be addressed, decisions can be reached and projects can move forward more quickly if everyone is actively engaged.”
Next, set goals and boundaries to avoid burnout or fatigue and respect that everyone has personal commitments and priorities or boundaries may differ. “Open communication and flexibility are also key so people are aware of why you may decline a call or request to reschedule a meeting,” Watt said.
She also advised employees to take responsibility for their own professional development if they want to advance in their career. An important step, she added, is to reflect on the goals that most closely align with what employees would like to learn and get better at; and identify what is required to achieve ambitions and how to pivot as goals change over time.
READ: Improving employee health and wellbeing through hybrid work
An agile mindset is also crucial in helping employees achieve results and add value to their current and future roles, said Watt, who added, “It’s about being open and flexible to work in different parts of a company, collaborating with different people, understanding how departments interact in the value chain, being able to connect the dots and knowing who the key stakeholders are.”
Lastly, employees must find their Ikigai, a Japanese concept explaining “a reason for being, a sense of purpose and passion that gives value and joy to life”, or as Watt described, what employees love, what they are good at, what they get paid for, and what the world needs.
