7
an
executive
white
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CEO
Health
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Safety
Leadership
Network
Highlights of Panel Discussion
Change was already afoot at MHRC before the pandemic. Peoples was hired as CEO in
2019 to lead the organization's evolution from a provincial charity with 1.5 employees
to a fully staffed national organization. So far, MHRC has grown to 18 team members
operating fully remotely.
PRAXIS joined a pilot project to transition to a four-day work week during the pandemic
while working fully remotely. They have opted to continue with both and just signed
on for another pilot period. Juniper says she doesn't know if they will formalize a
permanent commitment to a four-day work week but expects they will continue
indefinitely unless customer or employee satisfaction with the arrangement changes.
In 2020, Siemens decided to go mobile on a global scale. They reduced office space
and made changes in all aspects of the business to accommodate this shift. While most
can work from anywhere, a contingent of their team works in factories and in the field,
which means they must constantly monitor and attend to the needs of a diverse and
dispersed workforce.
Many employees at CSA Group had to continue testing onsite, but office employees
worked remotely during the crisis. Mistry says that being a global organization required
CSA Group to do a lot virtually with global teams before the pandemic, so they were
fairly comfortable with going virtual. They are currently transitioning to flexible work
arrangements supporting employees to meet performance goals, contribute to the
culture and manage work-life demands.
While each organization moved through the pandemic differently, they've all emerged
with a new perspective and have chosen to embrace the opportunities that are before
them. And, as the conversation revealed, they share some fundamental beliefs.
1. The role of leaders has shifted from managing work to creating safe spaces.
2. It is critical to have a well-defined employer brand that acknowledges and
respects the whole employee.
3. Teams must be focused on results and employees should come together
with purpose.
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