EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT & RETENTION
range of digital tools that allow bosses to keep track of what their employees are doing, such as screen surveillance software. However, it’s difficult to implement such strategies without employees feeling they are being spied on. A study by Professor Birgit Schyns at Neoma Business School, published in the Journal of Organisational Behaviour , has found that remote workers feel “physically and intellectually exhausted” if managers keep them under constant supervision. This is especially true if a manager’s behaviour becomes unpredictable, for example, scheduling calls without any advance notice. “Day-to-day monitoring leaves remote workers wondering why their managers are making such frequent demands, which may result in them questioning their own abilities and putting themselves down,” observes Schyns.
say they will sack, or threaten to sack, those who don’t comply with the new rules. One such point of view comes from Brent Cassell, vice-president of advisory in the HR group at consulting firm Gartner. In a recent BBC interview, Cassell explained: “Senior leaders are running out of patience. There’s been a shift among Fortune 500 companies, moving from a flexible hybrid strategy to a much more structured approach of set days that teams are expected to be in the office. If the likes of Starbucks, Disney and Google all say they need their employees back at their desks, it’s likely that smaller companies will see their example and follow suit.” Much of the drive to get employees back in the office is motivated by concerns that it’s harder to manage a remote workforce. Of course, there are a
Ambition | JUNE 2024 | 21
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