Each day we’re tackling some of the big unanswered questions that businesses and their people are facing when considering the reality of work today. We’re safely past the ‘panic mode’ stage, but businesses are still grappling with the new normal, and how hybrid working will actually work. Some things we’ve figured out, and even prefer, some things we haven’t.

Day 2 of Work Reimagined Festival is all about the rituals and rhythms that foster togetherness. We started the day chatting to 40 business leaders about how purposeful brands will succeed in the new hybrid world, held a masterclass in partnership with Miro on hosting team rituals and remote collaboration, and ended the day with a fireside chat where industry experts discussed how the employee experience should be reimagined.

Here are the top takeaways:

• Purpose has a tendency to dilute — it can’t. A clear purpose galvanises employees around a common goal and acts as a reminder of business priorities. This is even more important during testing times like a pandemic. Most companies start out with a crisp purpose and/or ethos, this can get muddied over the years, with layers of add ons as businesses expand and revenue lines are chased. Bringing it back to basics and being laser focused on the activities that bolster the business’ core purpose, is just as important for employee sense of belonging as it is for the company when weathering the storm.
• Doing the right thing gives employees an important sense of purpose. As the UK’s largest breakdown provider, The AA had a unique opportunity to support our NHS when they need it most; since April 2020 they’ve been offering a free breakdown service to NHS workers, along with free roadside assistance to Ambulances. The business adapted their offering in a relevant way, and it made their employees feel proud to work for a company that’s doing the right thing.
• Keep comms natural, honest and real. An Employee Experience Director of one of the world’s largest banks shared the simple tricks she’s been adopting in supporting her colleagues during this challenging time. All employee communications should be:

Engaging — ask people how they are feeling and actually listen to their response

Honest — cut unnecessary formalities (we’ve all already seen your bedroom)

Authentic — it’s okay not to have all the answers

Regular — even if you don’t have anything to say, it’s important for the rhythm of a business

For more tips on employee communication check out this article with Crisis Queen and Fluxx Partner Jenny Burns.

• Empathising and adapting to individual needs. The need for strong rituals wasn’t created by C-19, it’s simply accelerated it. The desire for connection, support and empathy from leadership aren’t new demands from employees. But, being able to spot the signs of a team member who’s in need is made even more challenging when we’re engaging with one another through screens. In one sense, distributed working has provided a window into one another’s lives, but in another, it provides a barrier. As more companies consider moving towards a 4 day week and start to unpick how hybrid working will work in their business, it brings about more pressure for leaders to be aware of personal circumstances, different vulnerabilities, connection needs and home circumstances in order to adapt to individual needs.
• Be creative with your new rituals. Head of Corporate Affairs at O2 says ‘people are looking for entertainment and escapism; now’s the time to be creative with new ways to connect a team.’ So far, we’ve seen virtual gingerbread house building, group laughing yoga, and Miro assault courses. To talk more about activities to connect a team, get in touch with our Digital Experience expert Annabel (annabel.staib@fluxx.uk.com).
• Hybrid is the challenge, don’t lose the opportunity. Hybrid is the biggest challenge. No-one wants to be the only one in a virtual room talking to a room full of people. If we’re not careful we could replace the open space office with another mono culture, and that’s not the answer. The opportunity is to think about how you can get the best out of your people and teams in a way that works for them as people.

So, let’s bust some myths; Culture is not defined by the walls of a physical office. Remote collaboration can be effective — you just need to understand how to foster the right environment and understand how to best use the tech at your disposal.

Business leaders must be open to experimenting with radically new ways of engaging their employees. This is not a one size fits all approach. Every team, like every business is different. This is a test and learn situation to figure out what works best for your people. We’ve experimented with everything from laughter yoga, to group breathing exercises to makers sessions; the rituals work; albeit some are a little radical… we feel the comradery, we feel connected.

When people feel connected, they feel safe. When people feel safe, they bring their best selves to work.

Join Day 3 of our Work Reimagined Festival — we’re talking all about Wellbeing. At our fireside chat in the afternoon Mark Allan, Commercial Director of Bupa, will be sharing the virtual stage with Anastasia xx and author Lisa Bent as they discuss how companies can take responsibility for their employees wellbeing. Register here for your free ticket.

Jassi is Marketing Lead at Fluxx, a company that uses experiments to understand customers, helping clients to build better products. We work with The Economist, Mars, Bupa, Condé Nast, National Grid, BEIS, Severn Trent Water and others.

Here are some useful links. Got thoughts worth sharing? Let’s have a virtual coffee — jassi@fluxx.uk.com.