Encourage Empathy, Active Listening En Route to Bolstering Employee Trust

It seems clear the workplace will change after the pandemic subsides, perhaps drastically.

For example, an Accenture survey shows 83 percent of workers are partial to a hybrid work model, allowing them to work from home (WFH) at least 25 percent of the time. And almost 40 percent of workers in another recent survey say they’d contemplate quitting if their companies refuse to consider WFH arrangements. Incidentally, 49 percent of those who said so were millennials and Gen Z.

Business seems aware of workers’ moods. A total of 93 percent of company leaders tell Frost & Sullivan they expect 25 percent or more of their staff to WFH. And 71 percent of representatives of businesses that occupy offices say the pandemic’s move to WFH will “fundamentally change” how they view office space. Yet nearly the same percentage of landlords (69 percent) expect no long-term changes.

While it’s unclear what comes next, it seems certain change is imminent. Moreover, building and maintaining a corporate culture, or, perhaps rebuilding one for the post-pandemic environment, will occupy a large majority of businesses and organizations.

Among the tasks ahead for internal communicators will be gaining, or regaining, employee trust. In addition, motivating and engaging staff will occupy internal communicators.