A healthy workplace culture is essential in helping both employees and employers to thrive, so what can organisations do to improve workplace culture in a hybrid-working world? Patrick Gallen explains. As we emerge from the pandemic and begin to reflect on what will change in the new hybrid environment, there has been a lot of talk about office culture. The pandemic has given organisations an opportunity to review the challenges and opportunities presented by the pandemic-driven work-from-home experience. Taking everything they have learned on board, they can now rethink, reshape and improve workplace culture, creating the best possible hybrid working experience for their employees. What is ‘culture’? Workplace culture is a shared set of attitudes and behaviours that affect how people interact at work. It can have a huge impact on an organisation’s effectiveness. The days of wandering through an office and getting a feel for the vibe of the place – intuitively assessing body language and interpersonal interactions – are over. Managers need to acquire tools and skills that can help them evaluate employee relationships and gauge productivity, without relying exclusively on in-person observation. Healthy cultures create tremendous corporate value – up to threefold higher returns to shareholders than that earned by companies with unhealthy cultures, according to McKinsey research. The question is not whether a company’s culture is ‘strong’ in itself but whether it serves the employees and the business. The evolution of workplace culture Before COVID-19, workplace culture mainly emphasised the importance of the firm’s productivity and profit above all, but organisations can’t expect to return to the same culture that existed in 2020. There’s been too much change, both at the individual and business level. This crisis has created an opening for organisations to experiment and adapt their policies and practices. From an organisational point of view, during this global disruption, we saw offices with healthy cultures prioritise the needs and well-being of their employees while continuing to meet (or even exceed) profit and productivity goals. Employees, on the other hand, saw their personal and professional lives converge during the pandemic and were given room to reconsider their priorities. Working from home highlighted the challenges of work–life balance. It also revealed which elements of the in-person workplace are most important to employees, and which are dispensable or even detrimental – long commutes, for example. Remote work has enabled workers to reconsider the meaning and purpose of their jobs. Prioritising employee needs Now that we are entering the next phase of this pandemic, consultation on employee needs must be at the top of leaders’ agendas, whether it is about hybrid work, work-life balance or ESG initiatives within the organisation. Employees have had the opportunity to re-evaluate their values, and they want to see these values reflected in their workplace culture. The future of the workplace must emerge from a dialogue between employees and leaders. Employees want their needs considered when finding the right balance between returning to the office environment. Leaders should, therefore, solicit and carefully consider employee feedback about the advantages and disadvantages of in-office versus remote work. Now is the time to reshape workplace policies and corporate culture to accommodate what works best, technologically and socially, for a business and its people. Leaders must adopt new, appropriate managerial approaches, model best practices and clearly communicate their rationale and purpose. A healthy workplace culture that works for its people and business is not only the right thing to do, but can also positively impact the bottom line. It is vital that companies take the steps needed to strike the right balance. Patrick Gallen is People and Change Consulting Partner at Grant Thornton.

In the week of International Women’s Day, we consider the important role that male allies can play in breaking the bias that women still face in the workplace. Male allies start by first acknowledging bias, are aware of the effect of their words, share work equitably, and are vocal in their support of gender equity. This week, International Women’s Day was themed #BreaktheBias, asking how we can break the bias that women face every day and achieve genuine gender equity in all spheres of life, including the workplace. And it is important to be vigilant and support gender equity because it may have taken a step backwards in the pandemic. Last year, Irish business representatives, Ibec, published a survey report highlighting the impact Covid had on women working for member organisations: “20% of organisations had noticed a change in the position of women in their organisations over the past 12 months, citing changes such as increased pressure and stress, childcare responsibilities, and requests from women for worktime flexibility to accommodate childcare and/or eldercare. … almost half of respondents (48%) said that more women than men had requested for changes to their working patterns to facilitate caring responsibilities. The survey also shows that 31% of respondents said that more of their female employees than their male counterparts had requested unpaid leave to facilitate caring responsibilities over the past 12 months.” 1 As we are now putting the pandemic behind us, we want to recover some of the ground lost to this inequity. One way to do this is to encourage allyship – male allyship particularly – in the workplace, to make sure that everyone is on the same page and willing to support one another. What is allyship? From the perspective of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), an ally is someone who is in a position of power, privilege, part of the majority, but who takes actions to support those who are not in the same position. In this case, male allyship is the evident, vocal support of women in the workplace. Further, it is not just restricted to male senior management: any man in the workplace can be an ally, showing leadership in this way, from a new starter all the way to the top of the organisation. How to be a male ally Here are some starting points for being a male ally: Acknowledge your bias  Bias may be deliberate, but most often it is unconscious, part of one’s cultural conditioning. The first step in breaking bias is to become aware of it, to acknowledge it – then it is much easier to address it. Go out of your way to challenge your bias, check your privilege, and assess how you view and interact with women. Language  Words are important and can carry a lot of baggage. Think about how you and other men address and refer to the women you work with. (Is it appropriate to refer to an adult, professional woman as a ‘girl’?) If you’re a hiring manager, is the language you use in a job posting gendered? For example, are you using traditional, masculine-coded language to advertise a leader’s position? Make use of tools like the Gender Decoder to check your language. Share the workload and the stage  Research has shown that women are more likely to volunteer for low-status tasks that need to be done but that do not benefit their promotability. 2 If you are a manager, distribute such tasks more equitably rather than ask for volunteers. Give all colleagues the space to be heard in meetings or in presentations, making sure some colleagues are not dominating the conversation. Sponsor and mentor  Experienced male leaders can play an important role in supporting women in their careers through active sponsorship and mentoring. Speak up, be a visible and vocal ally  Actively show women you support them by: Calling out sexist behaviour, like inappropriate jokes or remarks. Get into the habit of doing so, even when women are not around. Call out other men when they are talking over women in meetings. Publicly advocate for gender equity through social media, at town halls, team meetings. By being an active supporter and promoter of gender equity, male allies can make a huge difference to workplace culture and inclusivity. If women feel they are being supported, they will thrive, leading to more productivity, staff attraction and retention, and all-round better business. Such an inclusive workplace will benefit everyone. Sacha Brinkley and Michael Diviney Advocacy & Voice 1. Ibec, New Ibec research reveals impact of Covid on women in business, 19 April 2021. Available at https://www.ibec.ie/connect-and-learn/media/2021/04/18/new-ibec-research-reveals-impact-of-covid-on-women-in-business ↩ 2. “Why Women Volunteer for Tasks That Don’t Lead to Promotions” by Linda Babcock, Maria P. Recalde, and Lise Vesterlund, Harvard Business Review, 16 July 2018. Available at https://hbr.org/2018/07/why-women-volunteer-for-tasks-that-dont-lead-to-promotions ↩

As tensions rise in Ukraine, now more than ever is the time to make sure your staff know about the wellbeing supports available to them, writes Moira Grassick. With the crisis unfolding in Ukraine a source of concern for millions worldwide, employers will need to be mindful of the needs of employees from the impacted countries or with relatives and friends who may be in danger. Equally important will be the needs of those staff members whom, although not directly impacted by Russia’s invasion of the Eastern European country, may also be experiencing heightened stress or anxiety at this time. As with any personal or collective crisis, there are a few steps you can take to help and support your employees: Communication Proactively identify workers affected by the crisis and issue company-wide communications outlining the support options available to them and the wider workforce. This information can be disseminated by email, intranet sites, notice boards, or through discussion at team meetings. Ask managers to check in on the wellbeing of their team members regularly. At times of crisis, it's essential to reach out to staff and let them know your support is there if they need it, either informally or via an employee assistance programme. Make sure your managers maintain regular one-to-one catch-ups with all team members. Such meetings give employees an important opportunity to discuss any problems they might be facing. Create a culture of support by communicating clearly to staff that their health, safety, and wellbeing is a priority for the organisation. Let them know how to go about accessing support, and signpost any wellbeing services you have in place. Encourage senior leaders to communicate all available supports to their teams. This will help to set the right culture and tone from the top of the organisation down. Flexibility Where employees have friends or family members abroad, it may be reasonable to temporarily change work conditions to allow them to maintain regular contact. Helpful changes might include flexible start and finish times, more or longer breaks, and/or amended duties. Encourage employees to raise and discuss any concerns they may have, both in their professional and personal lives. This can improve staff satisfaction and motivation, which contributes towards increased employee productivity and higher staff retention. If an employee is affected by any crisis, they may be struggling to stay engaged and productive. You may wish to offer reasonable time off to help them manage. Impartiality People with family and friends in Ukraine and Russia may be struggling right now, and it's important to recognise and support everyone impacted — politics should not be part of the workplace. Whatever a staff member discloses about their situation, management should remain supportive and non-judgemental. With any crisis, an open conversation about mental health is the best approach to take. Trauma and crisis can have devastating implications if ignored, and recovery can be more easily achieved with open discussion and understanding. By taking the time to create a culture of support and communication, employers can give their employees the best chance of recovery. Moira Grassick is Chief Operating Officer at Peninsula Ireland.

Emigrating and settling into a new and unfamiliar life, culture and place is an exciting adventure but it can also be a difficult adjustment process. Change and acclimatising to new challenges and places can cause significant emotional and psychological distress. Here, Thrive speaks on how to adapt and flourish in your new home. In the year to April 2021, 54,000 people emigrated from Ireland (CSO). Ireland has a deep and long history of emigration, and we are no strangers to its effects - both for those who leave and those left behind. Moving to a new country is challenging but even more so in the past few years, where local lockdowns and social restrictions have limited people’s ability to settle and integrate into a new country. Certain people find emigration easy to deal with, but others find it hard to cope. Even those who have lived away for decades, settled down and had families can still deal with feelings of yearning for home. Building a new life in an adopted country can be a huge adjustment. It can take a long time to feel truly settled and feel a sense of belonging. Here we look at ways that can help you integrate into your new surroundings. Connect with home Being so far away from home can be difficult especially when milestones are missed or you aren’t surround by those close to you during joyous and difficult times – those celebratory events we miss out on, the birthdays, the weddings, the get togethers.   Keeping up and maintaining a strong link with home can help you feel connected as you begin to forge a new path in a new place.  The past pandemic years have shown us the creative ways we can keep in touch – arrange a monthly catch up with all the family, arrange a virtual pub get together with your friends. As life and time goes by, the relationships with those at home can falter but keeping in steady contact can help strengthen and reinforce your sense of identity and self. But it is also important to come to terms with and process the inevitable - lost and redefined relationships. Build a community When in an unfamiliar territory, it can be easy to begin to withdraw from others and retreat. Building new connections and relationships can conjure up anxiety and nervousness. However, establishing a sense of community in your new settings can help achieve feelings of belonging. Around the global, there is always an Irish diaspora network group. If you want to feel connected to home and re-establish your sense of identity, find that Irish connection. Having face-to-face support of others who can relate to how you are feeling helps foster closer relationship and deep connection. Joining a club, group or volunteering can also help you build your sense of community and belonging. Immerse yourself It is important to immerse yourself in your current environment. Go out and explore your surroundings, travel around, wonder and connect with your adopted country. This can be very therapeutic and provides an appreciation and gratitude for your new home. It can also help you reflect on your journey and remind you of your why. So, get out there, connect, explore, and most importantly find joy. If you are struggling with any kind of emotional struggle, please know the support of Thrive has no borders or bounds. The Thrive wellbeing hub provides free emotional supports to members, students and family members both home and abroad. We offer a confidential space for you to talk, whether you need a listening ear, wellbeing advice or professional counselling, we are here for you. You can contact the thrive wellbeing team by email at: thrive@charteredaccountants.ie or by phone: (+353) 86 0243294.

The way we work has changed dramatically in the past two years, from fully in the office, to fully at home and now onto hybrid working. Moira Dunne shares her top tips on how to get the most out of the latest phase of working life. As pandemic restrictions ease, many businesses are moving towards a hybrid working model. The aim is to get the best out of both worlds: the flexibility of home working, increased collaboration, and the benefits of office interaction. After working permanently at home for two years, however, it can be hard to embrace yet another new way of working while maintaining momentum week in, week out. A little bit of planning can help employers and employees to get the best out of hybrid working. Here are my top three tips: 1. Reset It’s essential to recognise that this latest phase of working life brings with it an opportunity to reset. For employees, it’s chance to review your current home working arrangements before moving to a permanent hybrid work model. Ask yourself some key questions: Do I need a better working from home routine? Can I optimise my workstation and equipment in my home office? What distractions at home cause me to lose time and focus? This review will help you identify issues with your home-working environment and assist you in increasing your focus and productivity. 2. Plan It is crucial to plan how best to split your work between home and office. We instinctively know that tasks requiring a high level of focus are more suited to a quiet home environment. Time in the office enables group work such as problem-solving, innovation and coaching. Consider the time and location dependency of your work. Each employee can plan for: time-dependent tasks that must be done during core hours; location-dependent tasks that require access to files or systems in the office; collaborative tasks that require interaction in the office; and solo tasks that can be done individually, independent of location or time. Aim to have the team in the office on the same days, if possible. This can help to ensure all team responsibilities are covered while also making the most of collaboration time. 3. Deliver Hybrid working is most effective when each person takes responsibility for delivering in their role. This builds trust, and can help to remove any residual stigma about remote working. It shifts the performance assessment focus away from presenteeism and towards delivery. Both employees and managers have a part to play here. Open communication is beneficial in any working environment, but it is imperative in the hybrid working environment. Productivity is improved when: employers provide clarity about what needs to be delivered. This helps people to work independently at home; and employees seek clarity when they are not clear about expectations, report on progress and discuss any issues that may arise. 4. Continuous improvement mindset Hybrid working can benefit both the business and its employees, but there is a collective responsibility to make it work. It is new territory, so it is best to take an iterative approach. Encourage people to adopt a continuous improvement mindset by: trying the model; reviewing the model; modifying the model; and improving the model. With these tips for successful hybrid working in mind, businesses can achieve both productivity and flexibility while maintaining employee momentum, focus and satisfaction. Moira Dunne is founder of beproductive.ie.

Tara Higgins demystifies the growth mindset and provides tips on how to best demonstrate your growth mindset in interviews. We hear the term ‘growth mindset’ more and more these days, and it has even become part of some mission statements. But what exactly is a growth mindset, and why is it important? What is a growth mindset? A growth mindset is often incorrectly defined as an inherent trait. Many people believe that if you are positive, flexible, open-minded and enthusiastic, you are showing that you naturally have a growth mindset. The reality is that a growth mindset means something entirely different. The good news is that it can be both taught and learned. Psychologist Dr Carol Dweck developed and popularised the term “growth mindset" in her 2006 book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. She describes it thus: “In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work – brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.” She describes the core of the growth mindset as: “The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it’s not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows people to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives.” Why is a growth mindset so important? It’s helpful to look at the opposite of a growth mindset – a fixed mindset – to understand why having a growth mindset is so important, not just for an individual but for any organisation. A fixed mindset is where you believe that your talent and intelligence is static, that you are born with a certain level of ability and unable to improve your levels over time. Workplaces that cultivate a growth mindset culture are often more innovative, inspired, efficient and have a more positive outlook that encourages new ideas. Employees in a growth mindset culture take more risks and demonstrate growth throughout their careers. Growth mindset in interviews Because of this drive to create a growth mindset culture, organisations often look at how new hires can demonstrate their growth mindset during the interview process. Here are a few ways you can do that: Give examples of how you have learned something from scratch, be it a new language, how to build a macro on Excel, etc. Highlight how you have successfully completed a new task you had never done before despite being out of your comfort zone. Demonstrate examples of times you were resilient and kept problem-solving when something challenging came up at work. Show your commitment to continuous learning by outlining courses you have completed since qualifying. Highlight the goals you have set for yourself personally and professionally, and outline your plan to achieve them, showing motivation. Discuss any failures or shortcomings from the past and what you will do differently in the future. Demonstrate how you embrace feedback and view it as an opportunity to learn. Ask solid and well-formed questions to show you are inquisitive and eager to learn more. Tara Higgins is an Associate Director with Barden Cork.