OFFICE TWIRL OFTEN : REMOTE !WOW!

THE most important question is this : is my corporate culture strong enough to adapt to this new way of working?

A company with a clearly articulated and effectively deployed corporate culture can thrive in any configuration, be remote, office-based, or a blend of the two. In fact organisations that are longing for a return to the office are trying to mask a weak corporate culture.

Too often, business leaders mistake presence for the performance, which is why the use of productivity - tracking software has surged during the pandemic.

Strong organisations aren't built through micromanagement or surveillance. They are built on the foundation of trust. The future of work is about results, not time spent at a desk, and this is true whether that desk is in an office or in someone's home.

What began as an emergency has become an opportunity. There is no one correct answer to the balance of remote and in-office work.

There are a wide range of choices that require creative reflection. If bosses approach it in this manner, and with a hard look at their work culture, their company and their employees will be the better for it.

The World Students Society thanks Taso Du Val, Chief Executive, Toptal, New York. [The Economist]