How Can You Engage Your Workforce? Set Them Free!
FREELANCING AND THE FUTURE OF WORK TOOK CENTER STAGE AT A RECENT FAST COMPANY PANEL.
With nearly everyone involved in remote work to some degree—even if it only involves checking email on a smartphone—the question driving a Fast Company tech and innovation panel discussion in Austin, in March, sponsored by Citrix, the digital workspace specialist, was, “How can tech help keep a disparate workforce productive?” In the old days, a pep talk from the boss could spark productivity. However, according to Citrix Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer Donna Kimmel, employers today have one key task in the digital age: eliminate frustration. “Think about how many times we’re flooded by emails or go to different apps [to receive] notifications,” Kimmel told the panel audience. “We probably spend a quarter of our time hunting for information.” Soon, Citrix employees will arrive at their personalized workspace, open their computer, and find on one screen the apps they need—the correct folders, systems, and data feeds. Machine learning and artificial intelligence will allow the computer to get to know what each employee requires and when.
INSPIRATION. ENCHANTMENT. EXCITEMENT.
Martin Wezowski, chief designer of SAP, a Berlin-based company whose software underpins most of the world’s digital transactions, from Uber to itunes, welcomes that kind of innovation to change the very definition of productivity. “We’re doing useless stuff—sometimes at least,” he said. “Let’s be honest. That’s the part of your day that you hate. The parts you love are when you are creative, stimulated. This is the highvalue work.” A better workplace would not just measure your usefulness in hours at your desk or the number of spreadsheets generated. It would spark innovation. “Why are we here, South by Southwest?” Wezowski asked the crowd. “It’s not only the day drinking—which is a great idea by the way,” he joked. “It’s inspiration. But isn’t that backwards? Shouldn’t that be the first thing we get every day? That is not provided to us because we are busy with Excel spreadsheets.” Inspiring productivity is not just a task to take on individual by individual, but by looking at the larger societal body, says Sara Sutton, founder and CEO of Flexjobs, a 12-yearold company that helps people find freelance jobs they can perform remotely. The flexibility that remote work affords employed parents has been long cited, but increasingly, remote systems allow jobs to go where they are scarce. For instance, Flexjobs has initiated training to bring freelance jobs to eastern Kentucky, which has been hit hard by the decline in coal mining. Through such efforts, Sutton maintains, society can also preserve positive cultural customs, even in the rush to urbanization. “Do people want to live in cities or do they go only because that’s where the jobs are?” she asked. The ability to work remotely could provide a steady income stream regardless of where a person lives, or if they decide because of traditional reasons—say, to help aging parents—to stay in their hometown.
PUTTING THE HUMAN BACK IN HUMAN RESOURCES
Of course, not everyone relishes the isolation of working remotely, but Sutton feels that, based on her company’s annual surveys, loneliness is overplayed. “Introverts particularly love remote working,” she said. “And different stages of life change people’s view.” Kimmel agreed, but noted that having physical workspaces available to remote workers gives them a place they can come to connect to their colleagues and get face-to-face interaction when needed. She believes giving employees an opportunity for balance in all areas helps them to stay on track and feel inspired through the ebbs and flows of business. Kimmel balances strategy and empathy in her executive leadership role. She feels people can’t be productive if they are worrying about their children or immigration status. Almost two years ago, Citrix introduced an 18-week parental leave policy for all employees regardless of gender, and when the immigration ban went into effect she ensured the company assisted employees who were stranded outside the country. The takeaway? In order to keep freelance employees engaged, employers just might need to rethink the employee experience.