Mark Staudohar’s Post

Measuring and managing productivity has always been an issue. Virtually all the work I do when helping clients to solve their sales tax problems is done via hybrid methods. Successful results with real value and little disruption to operations can be achieved with the hybrid method and often times with completely remote efforts. Technology is not going away! Best to leverage tech for optimum productivity and work/life balance.

Is your office being hit with the "coordination tax"? That term — for the effort to find a colleague via multiple digital channels or (gasp) in person — has found its way into the workplace lexicon. Corporations embracing hybrid work now need to determine how best to coordinate time split between home and the office. Some workers prefer to be in person in the middle of the week. Others at the start and end. The Wall Street Journal reports that companies are deploying scheduling tools to help workers know when their colleagues will be at their desks. Otherwise, they commute in to end up on a Zoom call. 👉 Are you well-coordinated with your hybrid colleagues? Read more: https://lnkd.in/ecqS5Y3h Summary ✍: Todd Dybas

Measuring and managing productivity has always been an issue. Virtually all the work I do when helping clients to solve their sales tax problems is done via hybrid methods. Successful results with real value and little disruption to operations can be achieved with the hybrid method and often times with completely remote efforts. Technology is not going away! Best to leverage tech for optimum productivity and work/life balance.

“You show up, and then nobody else from your team is there, and then you’re on back-to-back Zoom meetings, which you could’ve done from home.” Sound familar? This is the state of #HybridWork for many as we pay the #CoordinationTax of trying to align #WFO and #WFH days with our colleagues and teams. A big challenge is that while 40% of companies have hybrid work policies, only 8% specify which days to be where. I still think The J.M. Smucker Co. has come up with the best solution, setting — and calendering well in advance — specific #MarketWeeks where everyone must be on-site and allowing everyone to work remotely other times.

“Why does the American Office Worker Lag Behind European Colleagues in Returning to the Office?”. We have identically sized land masses so I’ve been wondering why the US is dragging its #RTO feet and has seen a significant rise in office vacancy rates whereas European office re-entry rates are higher, exceeding 80% in cities like London, Paris, Madrid, and Amsterdam. 🇺🇸 A Rubbish Commute? - In the USA, longer commutes, inconvenient transport systems and poor quality public transport make remote work a more attractive option. In contrast, European cities typically have more reliable and efficient public transportation, making commuting less burdensome. 🇺🇸 Bye Bye Presenteeism? - the USA has been late to the remote and hybrid party and during the pandemic learned to love working in slippers and slobbies. In Europe, it has long been part of the working mix coupled with a stronger emphasis on in-person collaboration. 🇺🇸 Labour Market? - [relatively] low unemployment rates gives employees more leverage to negotiate flexible working conditions or vote with their (slippered) feet. 🇺🇸 Sympathetic Infrastructure? - European cities generally have better public transportation, better urban planning, and better workplace amenities that make the office experience better. A number of IBM offices across EMEA have been renovated and are great places to work (with London being the perfect example). 🇺🇸 Don’t Mention Vacation Days - my American colleagues are of the opinion, I’m sure, that we Europeans are on holiday for at least half of the year. In the US, with fewer vacation days, maybe remote-work brings a semblance of work-life balance? What do you think? Karl Haller, Dee Waddell, Joe Dittmar, Connie McDonald, Alexandra Gordon, Monica Proothi, Jonathan Wright, Jennifer Kested, Alexandra Leppert, Sara Kronon, Jerry Edmunds, Brooke Einspanier, Tess Rock, Jane Cheung, Paul Rakowski Given that an average person might spend around 12.8% of their life working (if they work full-time from age 22 to 65 and live to 80 years old) (double that for Management Consultants obvs lol), RTO has notable impacts on our Consumer Products, Hospitality and Retail industry including increased online shopping and so demand for ecommerce platforms and home delivery, changes in the types of products consumers are buying (more slippers, less ties), a move towards smaller, more strategically located stores, often in The Burbs and more agile supply chain strategies to meet fluctuating demands. In London, I’ve noticed that Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday is #TheNewFriday. The much much much overused New Normal needs to address the demands of a hybrid workforce and the changing consumer. #ReturnToOffice #WorkplaceCulture #RemoteWork #HybridWork #EmployeeExperience #OfficeTrends #WorkLifeBalance #IBMRetail #IBMConsumer #FMCG #ConsumerGoods #Retail #RethinkRetail #RethinkRetailTopExpert RETHINK Retail

Feeling the pinch of the "coordination tax" in your hybrid work schedule?    This article in Sunday's Wall Street Journal perfectly echoes what I’m hearing from a lot of our clients—the friction associated with coordinating hybrid work schedules is draining efficiency for a lot of organizations.    Either being together in the office or having a consistent in-person work schedule eliminates the guesswork of trying to sync up with coworkers across various communication channels.    Let me know what you’re seeing in your own workplace and if you are feeling this "pinch". #CRE #Office #CommercialRealEstate #OfficeLeasing #Phoenix #Productivity #Remote #StreamCRE #Workplace #Collaboration

Wasn't this a thing even before remote and hybrid work? Even when people are trying to coordinate a virtual meeting for everyone to log on, it's never easy. #worklife #remotework #hybridwork #returntooffice #rto #inpersonwork #workinglife #lifeaftercovid #waysofworking #careercoach #careercoaching

Does getting hold of your co-workers ever feel like a scavenger hunt? Do you commute in and drop by their desks, only to find they are working remotely? Are some teammates only on email or Slack—or can you actually call them on the phone? The term "coordination tax" describes the time spent figuring out who’s on Zoom, who’s in the office, and who’s messaging from different time zones. Originally used to discuss the logistical challenges of a growing enterprise, it now highlights the time workers spend syncing up in hybrid work environments. Brian Elliott, a leadership adviser, pointed out the frustration of mismatched schedules on LinkedIn, emphasizing that workers often end up in back-to-back Zoom meetings they could have attended from home. Despite the flexibility hybrid work offers, the coordination hassles persist. Data from Scoop Technologies shows that while nearly 40% of companies have hybrid models, only 8% designate specific in-office days, down from 10% in early 2023. Additionally, ADP data reveals a growing number of workers are in different metro areas than their managers, complicating in-person collaboration. Former business development representative Nick Fratto described the constant guessing game of tracking conversations across various communication channels, which disrupted his workflow. He now enjoys a fully remote role with consistent use of Microsoft Teams. Lauren Miller Guerrero, an advertising associate creative director, faced similar challenges with voluntary hybrid work. Even after setting a specific in-office day, much of her time is still spent in video meetings, leading her to start a monthly office book club for more face-to-face interaction. Companies like H.B. Fuller and Autodesk have implemented structured in-office days and revamped office spaces to improve collaboration. H.B. Fuller’s designated in-office periods resulted in a 50% increase in attendance. Autodesk redesigned its hubs to resemble hotel conference spaces, enhancing the energy and effectiveness of in-person meetings. To ease coordination, companies are deploying technology. Microsoft launched an AI-powered app for sharing location schedules, while Neiman Marcus introduced a scheduling tool, incentivizing its use with raffles and manager participation. The coordination tax highlights the ongoing challenges of hybrid work, but with structured policies and technological tools, companies can improve collaboration and productivity. #HybridWork #CoordinationTax #RemoteWork #WorkplaceProductivity #CollaborationTools #OfficeCulture #WorkFromHome #BusinessStrategy https://lnkd.in/eZCa-_rs

The hybrid workplace model offers numerous advantages, including increased flexibility, improved work-life balance, and enhanced employee satisfaction. It allows employees to choose their optimal work environment, whether it's from home or in the office, leading to higher productivity and engagement. Additionally, businesses can reduce overhead costs and expand their talent pool by hiring from diverse geographic locations. The hybrid model fosters a more adaptable and resilient workforce, ready to meet the evolving demands of the modern workplace. This excellent WSJ article today looks at new data around 1) Collaboration isn’t getting easier 2)Assessing the costs and 3) More productive in-office time “In a recent Microsoft survey of 31,000 working adults, half said they often commuted to the office only to discover their manager or teammates hadn’t. Hybrid employees who said they struggled to connect with their teams in person were more likely to report challenges in advancing their careers, and were twice as likely to consider changing employers.” “Other companies are deploying technology to make coordinating easier. In May, #Microsoft launched an AI-powered app for employers that lets workers share location schedules.” The Wall Street Journal #Hybrid #workforce #productivity