Ready for the Post-Pandemic Amped-Up Employee Expectations

The post-pandemic economy has changed the expectations of the employed and those seeking renewed employment . For the non-hospitality economy, leaving an independent space and rejoining the physicality of a collaborative space has prompted a new set of expectations.  In the hospitality economy, financial stability, balance of work & private life, and participating in meaningful work are some of the expectation that have reprioritized.

In early July the New York Times reported hospitality companies offering free appetizers for mass-interview participants, room nights, signing bonuses, higher starting wage, education sponsorship for the employee or sibling for newhighers.  But is it enough as we enter the post-pandemic era of amped up employee expectations? And what do these efforts say to the existing employees?

McKinsey & Company has identified about a dozen work expectations (table, below) and offered general suggestions to leverage the heighten expectations guided by four categories: credible, feasible, sustainable and personal objectives. Note the four expectations that have increased by more than 50%.

For years The Harmony Project has demonstrated and perfected multiple systems and programs exceeding employee expectations — raising the bar in every market it has worked. Now it is well positioned to engage the more demanding employee workplace expectations of the post-pandemic economy. Let us consider some within the four McKinsey categories:

Credible Objectives

• Employee Climate Survey

An action plan follows an all-employee survey to proactively address the ever-changing employee concerns. The goal is to remain the best employer in the area.  We find our employees highly resistant to poaching by competitive employers.

Twice annually, an employee climate survey is conducted to assess the issues of most concern within each department and within the general employee community. An action plan is created and communicated.  Expectations are not static, therefore a ‘ranking gap’ survey format is used. Canned questionnaires typical of on-line HR platforms are to be avoided. The same question is considered twice: level of importance, and present condition.  The largest gap  between the level of importance and present condition is measured. The ranking gap system addresses the inevitable change in employee priorities over time and therefore the questions do not change.

• All-Employee Communications

Multiple forms of internal employee communications are critical.  In addition to utilizing the HR Dashboard (see below) to profile newly appointed or promoted employees, introduce new products, open (or confidential) suggestion box and Q&A featured, quarterly all-employee meetings are important.  Leaders and peers are encouraged to deliver rehearsed presentations of interesting projects they are involved with.  Example client congratulatory letters are read and business trends and projections shared.  One of the resident musical entertainment groups perform when the doors open leading up to the highly anticipated presentations.  Social Cohesion & Inclusion is demonstrated by these multiple forms of communication.

• Living It Employees 

Living It employees look for ways to contribute more. They have a burning desire to improve performance, not only for themselves, but for the entire team as well. These are the employees who actually create exceptional memories and foster customer loyalty through their exceptional service delivery. See my Dec 2020 LinkedIn article.

 Feasible Objectives

• HR dashboard

NR dashboards (on-line platforms such as Bamboo HR, SAP, or Zenefits) facilitate applicant tracking, on-boarding, scheduling, benefits, employee smart phone access, and employee files/records providing a highly transparent data participation system.

• Empowered staff, flat organization

A flat organization is nimble and possible when most employees are highly self-motivated with individualized job descriptions.  Rather than multiple employees reporting to a single supervisor, leaders double-up. Vacancies are avoided when leaders inevitably move around and a small team of leaders achieve exponentially stronger outcomes because they help each other avoid blind spots.  We prefer to have at the ready multiple plans as The Plan to Fail and small team of leaders can readily anticipate the failures.  Organizational Stability is demonstrated by empowered staff with a flat organization.

• Employee Committees

Employee committees allow staff at all levels to shoulder the responsibilities to produce empowerment within indigenous cultural forms. 

A set of employee community-driven committees are established under an  elected employee leader (Mayor).  The objective is to allow the employee community to ‘police’ themselves according to the workplace Core Values, and local custom.  Each committee is mentored by an Executive Committee member.  The process promotes resolutions to address complaints, and fosters practice in leadership, problem solving and continual improvement.  Example committees include: Environment, EarthDay, Staff Sports & Entertainment, Staff Canteen & Menu, Social Services and Community Relations. Trusting Relationships are strengthened when Employee Committees are vibrant and active.

 Sustainable Objectives

• Mentoring program

Mentors are assigned to all new employee as roll-models for guidance and direction. They become a stakeholder in the mentee’s on-barding success. The mentor influences the personal and professional growth of a mentee. The mentor can align in-house experts when necessary to gain proficiency and cultural tools.

• Shared vision, mission, strategy, and workplace values

Regular workshops are held for reenforcement, all leaders coached to role-model the same. While the following table shared the different between vision, mission strategy and workplace values, when regularly roll-modeled and refreshed attains Alignment with Operational Purposes & Values.

• Team audition interview system

Hire for attitude and personality. Applicants are assessed first for competencies that are generally non-trainable (test taking). Accountability is established with a team approach to auditioning (interviewing) looking first for creative or musical talent exampling self-confidence and cultural fit.  Biannual community mass interviews are held to give a chance to a wide range of people. ee my April 2019 LinkedIn Article.

Personal Objectives

• Accountability Allowance

Annual Performance is based on recognizing achievements roll-modeling Core Values, quantifiable achievements of the job description and is an opportunity to register career goals during a twice annual conversation between employee and supervisor.  Its valuable time for each employee to be heard and to strengthen the employee’s relationship with the company.

•  100 Job Descriptions

All employees are appointed based on their exceptionable creativity, self-initiative, work place culture fit, flexibility, and leadership potential.  Each are hired with the expectation they will become “Living It” employees (A) over-achiever leaders and therefore the JD is unique to each employee revised multiple times annually.  Typical JD’s are written for “Hearing It” employees (C), or “Believing It” employees (B) and are therefore static and specific to a job.  Flexible and individualized job descriptions reenforces Trust In Leadership. See my April 2019 LinkedIn article.