LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS FOR A CHANGING WORKSCAPE

Over the past two + years, remote work has gone from a special allowance or location necessity to a sought-after component in job searches. It sounds ideal – being at home, no pressure to dress up (well, maybe from the waist up) and maybe get a little housework done during breaks. What a dream!

But working remotely also can be isolating and draining without dedicated support from employers.

The need to adopt more flexible working policies during the pandemic has led to more and more companies changing policies that naturally lean into the Human Powered Business model. At New Belgium, as much as we love the open office environment filled with the amazing humans running our business, we know it may never look quite the same.

ROLLING WITH REMOTE

Here are some ways New Belgium has worked to not only support coworkers in remote spaces but integrate it into a new way to champion coworker success through flexibility and choice, and naturally drive business forward in a more equitable way.

• The “Heart to heart” program randomly assigned 1:1 video calls with other remote workers, allowing connection and networking between coworkers with jobs that may never overlap normally.

• To allow for differing needs in an uncertain world, we incorporated a staged “homecoming” plan that allows coworkers flexibility per individual or department to stay completely remote, a mix of remote and location-based work, all the way to 100% back on-site.

• At our breweries, there are many coworkers whose jobs don’t allow them to work offsite. Those unable to work remotely are compensated for any missed shifts impacted by facility closures.

• Instead of relocating newly hired positions to Fort Collins or Asheville, some coworkers can stay in their home state – allowing for family stability and career growth in ways not available in traditional working environments.

People-first work arrangements that provide flexibility and choice support better-performing and more resilient businesses – improving talent recruitment and retention, coworker engagement, and productivity – not to mention happier and more satisfied coworkers.

For example, in a recent survey, when asked about their ideal work setup, 68 percent of participants cited hybrid work (compared to 20 percent who chose full remote and 12 percent that would opt to return to the office full-time). Thirty percent of respondents in another survey said they would look for a new job if their employer required them to return to the office full time, and Millenial and Gen Z coworkers are especially keen on flexibility.

Does your workplace encourage you to show up (or not) in ways that support your success? If you see gaps or opportunities for improvement, be a voice for change in your workplace – and share with your employer the business case for workplace policies that enable coworker flexibility.