INTHEBLACK February 2022 - Magazine - Page 19
03
02
B R E N T S Z A L AY F C PA
M A N A G I N G D I R E C T O R , S E I VA
The transition to working from home during
COVID-19 was relatively seamless for our business.
We were already paperless and had much of the
technology required to work from anywhere, but
the biggest challenge to overcome was remote
communication. We knew we’d miss the value of
incidental conversations that happen in the office,
or just being able to spin your chair around to
check something with a colleague.
Our primary concern during the first lockdown
was maintaining our culture. We set up regular
check-in meetings and remote team activities,
and I think we may have overdone it at the start –
people became exhausted by all the contact. It
didn’t take too long to relax into a rhythm that
allows us to maintain connections with a mix of
team meetings and one-on-one catch-ups. It’s
really about asking people about what works
best for them.
We haven’t been concerned about maintaining
productivity, because our success has always been
measured by quality of output. All work is reviewed
for quality control purposes, so those practices
never really changed.
However, remote working presents the risk of
people working too many hours due to the blurred
line between home and office. That’s something that
needs to be managed very carefully. If we see that
people are working overly long hours, we check if
there is a system problem within our business that
we need to improve, or whether an employee needs
training or any help. The aim is to create a healthy
balance, which is so important to our culture.
MEET THE
EXPERTS
L I S A YO U N G E R
D I R E C T O R , E V O LV I N G D O O R S
_
It has taken a global pandemic to prove that
businesses can make adjustments to help people
work from home in a productive way. However, it
does require elevated communication to ensure that
employees feel connected to the business and the
culture, and I would recommend that all employers
develop a remote working policy.
Historically, managers weren’t always in close
contact with employees who worked from home,
except when it came to operational matters. Business
leaders have a responsibility to check in with staff to
see how they are feeling about their position, what
adjustments need to be made and whether they are
displaying any signs of mental health issues that
might impact their capacity to perform their role.
It’s also important to remember that remote
working doesn’t suit everyone. Many may feel
isolated at home or have distractions that impact
their ability to perform in their role. Decisions
about office-wide working from home
arrangements should be made in consultation.
Virtual team meetings are valuable, but regular
one-on-one catch-ups are important, especially if you
have a split workforce, with some working from an
office and some working remotely. There is a risk of
developing an “us and them” culture, where critical
communications are not shared with remote workers.
There are expectations that employees look after
their own health and safety while working from
home, but employers are also obligated to ensure
employees have the right equipment and an
ergonomic work environment. Creating a
documented structure around these obligations can
help ensure that health and safety standards are met.
We set up regular check-in meetings and remote
team activities, and I think we may have overdone
it at the start – people became exhausted by all the
contact. It didn’t take too long to relax into a rhythm
that allows us to maintain connections with a mix of
team meetings and one-on-one catch-ups. It’s really
about asking people about what works best for them.
Remote working doesn’t suit everyone. Many
may feel isolated at home or have distractions
that impact their ability to perform in their
role. Decisions about office-wide working
from home arrangements should be made
in consultation.
_
KIMBERLY SINGH FCPA
Kimberly Singh FCPA is
COO of consultancy Populis,
co-creator of the wellbeing
platform ExcelerateYou, an
author and a member of
CPA Australia’s Ethics and
Professional Standards Centre
of Excellence. She has more
than 15 years of experience
of content and platform
creation in both corporate
and academic environments
internationally.
BRENT SZALAY FCPA
Brent Szalay FCPA is managing
director of SEIVA and a
member of CPA Australia’s
Victorian Divisional Council.
He received the 2020 Henry
Fox Award for outstanding
service to public practice
and was a recent finalist in
the Australian Accounting
Awards as Thought Leader
of the Year, as well as the
winner of Wellness Initiative
of the Year, for his mindset
book TryPositive.
LISA YOUNGER
Lisa Younger is a human
resources specialist and
founder of consultancy
Evolving Doors. Her focus is
on helping her clients attract
and retain high performers
by building cultures of
productivity and delegated
leadership. Her vision is
to help business leaders
create work environments
that recognise and reward
contribution and create
fulfilment through shared
achievement.
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