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WORK 3.0: Reimagining Leadership in a Hybrid World
Reimagining Leadership in a Hybrid World
With work and workplaces going through drastic changes and transitioning to different modalities during the pandemic, leaders and organizations across the globe share varying experiences as they adapt to the transformations in the new world of work. The Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), in partnership with 15 organizations including the Institute of Corporate Directors PH (ICD Ph), has worked on “WORK 3.0: Reimagining Leadership in a Hybrid World” a research report which identify key skills, mindset and enabling factors leaders must have to be successful in a hybrid work environment.
Current situation of Work 3.0 in Asia Pacific
The report introduces an overview of the current landscape of the hybrid world in the Asia Pacific region. As countries strive to recover from the circumstances brought by the pandemic, it is shown that organizations prioritize different strategies to adapt to the new era. Organizations are also facing changes in societal expectations as they are demanded to be more responsible and purpose-driven and promote inclusivity and environmental friendliness in the post pandemic world. In addition, the expectations of employees now include work flexibility, meaningful work, and improvement in well-being.
Meanwhile, a leap in the rate of remote job openings and interest of applicants in remote jobs and a significant decrease in the rate of expectation around time spent in the office lead to the fact that the majority of the organizations in the Asia Pacific are likely to adopt a hybrid model of work in the long run. With 39% of Filipino respondents preferring the hybrid - office first model, the Philippines is leaning towards a more flexible mode of work for the next three to five years. However, with 28% of respondents still preferring the fully onsite model, the leaders of organizations in the Philippines are less embracing of Work 3.0 compared to those of other countries in the region.
Debunking myths about Work 3.0
To present important points about what leaders and organizations need to know about the hybrid work model, the study debunks myths about Work 3.0. It starts with pointing out that the hybrid work model is more than just a fusion of in-person and remote model and is therefore a unique plane with a character of its own. Furthermore, it is important to note that while leader support to their teams working in hybrid mode is at a considerably high rate of 51.7% and that 52.4% of leaders claim that they are thriving in the current hybrid work environment, more than half or 55.6% of the organizations in the Asia Pacific are still in the “no vision” and “still curating” stages in terms of their journey towards long term vision and associated processes/policies with respect to hybrid work.
The study further discusses that despite having 8 in 10 employees favoring the work-from-home option in the Asia Pacific region and 9 in 10 specifically in the Philippines, the impact on their engagement and productivity varies depending on their performance. Below average performers are at the most serious risk of declining productivity and engagement, therefore leaving the organizations the challenge to strike a balance between the two. On the other hand, while technology is often deemed as the key driver of successful Work 3.0 model as it enables the hybrid workforce to perform and deliver at their peak capabilities, data suggests that people and teams and organization culture play the most vital role instead. Meanwhile, the promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion is thriving in the hybrid world of work as more opportunities are now being opened for sectors often experiencing indifference when it comes to work. However, leaders and organizations must take serious action to address certain biases at play in the hybrid world which cause marginalization and disengagement among their employees.
Successful leadership in Work 3.0
CCL’s study proceeds by elaborating how leaders should think about Work 3.0 by identifying the four key elements driving hybrid teams to flourish. These include core agreements about the team’s purpose, collective mindset on how they work together, cohesive relationships fostering inclusivity and high psychological safety, and connection across teams and organization. Tensions and polarities emerging in these elements are what leaders need to evaluate and navigate to deliver on business needs.
CCL’s study proceeds by elaborating how leaders should think about Work 3.0 by identifying the four key elements driving hybrid teams to flourish. These include core agreements about the team’s purpose, collective mindset on how they work together, cohesive relationships fostering inclusivity and high psychological safety, and connection across teams and organization. Tensions and polarities emerging in these elements are what leaders need to evaluate and navigate to deliver on business needs.
In the latter part of the study is an exhaustive discussion on who leaders need to be to succeed in Work 3.0. The researchers highlight mindsets and skill sets shifts necessary to spark collaboration among employees, to drive purpose, build a culture of trust and empowerment, and utilize technology to aid hybrid work. In addition, the study presents five roles that leaders need to play and embrace to help their organizations conquer challenges and attain prosperity in the hybrid world.
Conclusion: Relevance to the Philippine setting
To conclude, CCL's study provides a comprehensive examination on the hybrid work model in the Asia Pacific region by generating survey and interview responses from 2,200 leaders across 13 countries in the region. Future researchers may draw from the results of the study to have a closer look on Work 3.0 focused in the Philippine context. This can help Filipino leaders and organizations identify more appropriate interventions and strategies to thrive in the hybrid world of work.
To read more about the research report, you may access this link: http://ccl.org/articles/research-reports/work-3.0-reimagining-leadership-hybrid-world
