Benefits Canada Interview: Employers mandating 5-day RTO should consider impact on women employees: experts

This article was originally published in Benefits Canada – written by Lauren Bailey.

When mandating that employees return to the office, employers need to consider the impact it may have on workers and give them the opportunity to adjust appropriately.

Last month, in an internal memo, Dell Inc. told its sales team they would be expected to work onsite going forward, giving employees just two-days’ notice of the change. The move was a stark reversal of its earlier policy, which allowed for a hybrid schedule that included three days in office.

Janet Candido, founder and principal of Candido Consulting Group, says the way the organization rolled out the mandate showed a lack of consideration for the fact that many employees who are caregivers would have to make childcare arrangements in order to be able to work in the office full time. She noted that many childcare providers don’t have open spots, making it challenging for employees to find a place for their children with such little notice.

“Dell’s answer to that was, ‘Well, then you’re going to have to use your personal vacation time. . . .’ It’s a total lack of understanding of what parents have to go through.”

Rumeet Billan, chief executive officer of Women of Influence, notes the drop-off and pick-up times for her eight-year-old son are non negotiables. “Having to make this [working arrangement change] so quickly [and] without notice can leave people feeling very uncertain, uncomfortable and stressed.”

The bulk of childcare and elder care duties still fall on women, so policies like these may prompt women to quit, says Candido, noting these mandates can be construed by some people as anti-women.

“Women who cannot continue to work at Dell, for example, will have to . . . find another job elsewhere. The problem is that there aren’t a lot of jobs in the tech sector. . . . This has also been referred to as a form of ‘quiet firing.’ I’m not sure that [it’s] specifically targeting women [workers], but that’s who it’s affecting mostly.”

As well, she notes many employees can’t function well in a one-size-fits-all office environment, including people who identify as neurodivergent. “That’s why I think that the solution really is hybrid, where people come into the office two or three days a week. . . . Employers need to be flexible. I think we’re past the days where everybody had to come in at 9 a.m. and worked until 5 p.m. If we want to have diversity in the workplace, then we have to adjust our policies to make it easier for a range of employees.”

Women of Influence has adopted a hybrid working schedule and recently implemented a four-day workweek. Billan believes the traditional nine-to-five work hours need to be re-examined, noting the structure doesn’t fit with many people’s lifestyle and personal obligations. Companies that initiate such mandates need to consider their intentions, she adds, noting if it’s to build culture and collaboration, that depends largely on management, not location. If management is skeptical that employees are actually getting the work done, then there may be a trust management issue.

“Employers need to consider whether collaboration was really happening onsite in the first place,” she says, noting in the past, team meetings were often dominated by a few voices, while many others remained quiet, fearful of negative feedback or consequences. “You can collaborate online. It’s up to . . . the person that’s leading the meeting to facilitate avenues for people to be able to collaborate. But here’s the thing, . . . not everyone is going to contribute anyways. . . . So it’s up to us to decide how we’re going to facilitate the conversation and the collaboration. Location isn’t the issue, it’s how we facilitate it.”

It’s About People: The role of HR systems for interior design firms

This article was originally published in Canadian Interiors.

As interior design and architectural firms grow, the demands on their human resources (HR) systems expand exponentially. Effective HR practices not only support sustainable business growth but also create an environment that fosters creativity and collaboration—key elements in design industries. Yet many firms tend to prioritize excellence in design and project output over internal workforce management. This oversight can lead to significant challenges as firms scale up. By implementing structured HR systems early on, design firms can streamline operations and maintain their creative focus while mitigating workforce challenges.

The Need for Tailored HR Systems in Design Firms

Design firms are hubs of innovation where form and function must work in harmony. Like a thoughtfully designed interior, a well-structured HR system allows for smooth operations and a comfortable, energized workplace. However, many firms may not have human resources on the radar until they face high turnover, recruitment difficulties, or workplace dissatisfaction.

According to the 2023 Canadian Architectural Practices Benchmark Report conducted by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) and Canadian Architect, HR will be one of the greatest challenges to the profession in the next five years. These issues can hamper morale and productivity for creative businesses that rely on successful collaboration. The key is adopting proactive HR strategies that facilitate an innovative and functional workplace atmosphere.

Gen Z employees entering the workforce bring a new challenge to the industry. Unlike older generations who honed social skills in an in-office setting, many Gen Z workers were hired during the pandemic and started their careers working remotely, and many still are. In this context, many lack experience in navigating professional dynamics with colleagues, managers, and clients. This can lead to feelings of isolation and potentially impede collaboration and, by extension, project outcomes.

Practical HR Solutions for Design Firms

Once the essential HR elements are in place—such as a well-defined employee handbook, accurate job descriptions, and a basic performance review system—design firms can expand their HR practices to support new and existing talent. Below are five practical strategies to implement for growing interior design firms.

1. Build a Strong Company Culture

In a creative industry, company culture can be a deciding factor for both recruitment and retention. A positive, engaging workplace culture keeps employees motivated and connected to the firm’s mission.

• Design-Focused Team Building Activities: Incorporate activities that stimulate creativity, such as team visits to design museums, collaborative design workshops, or even escape rooms with design puzzles.

• Recognition: Recognize outstanding design work through awards, public acknowledgments, or even social media shout-outs. Regular recognition keeps morale high, and employees engaged.

• Work-Life Balance: Encourage flexible work hours, remote work options, or even mental health days to help employees manage the demanding nature of design work. This is especially important for younger workers who may feel overwhelmed by the intensity of the industry.

2. Prioritize Performance Management

Effective performance management systems not only ensure that your team is working towards the firm’s goals but also enhance individual employee growth.

• Set Clear, Measurable Goals: Align goals with individual development and project outcomes. For example, track key metrics like project completion times, client satisfaction, and adherence to design standards.

• Conduct Regular Check-ins: Don’t wait for annual reviews to offer feedback. Regular, informal check-ins can help employees stay on track and feel supported.

• Use a Mix of Metrics: Performance in interior design and architecture is both objective and subjective. Use a blend of metrics, from project timelines to creativity in design solutions, to assess employee performance comprehensively.

3. Focus on Recruitment and Retention

Talent is the lifeblood of interior design, and competition is fierce. Holistic recruitment and retention strategies should be a top priority, especially as the industry grapples with maintaining profitability.

• Develop a Structured Interview Process: Include questions addressing design skills, creative problem-solving, and project management. This ensures that new hires not only fit culturally but also meet your firm’s technical demands.

• Create an Onboarding Checklist: A thorough onboarding process integrates new employees quickly and smoothly into the team. This checklist could include mentorship programs or design software training sessions to ensure new hires hit the ground running.

• Implement a Referral Program: Leverage your current employees’ networks to tap into a wider talent pool. Offer incentives for successful referrals, which can help bring in high-quality candidates.

4. Stay Compliant

With your firm’s growth comes the need for more robust compliance measures. Interior design firms must adhere to legal requirements regarding employment, intellectual property, and client confidentiality.

• Regularly Review Employment Contracts: As your firm evolves, ensure employment contracts reflect updated roles, responsibilities, and benefits.

• Classify Employees vs. Contractors: Design firms often use freelancers or contract workers. Make sure the classification between full-time employees and contractors is clear to avoid legal complications.

• Intellectual Property Policies: Establish clear guidelines on ownership of design work, especially for creative roles. Define who retains the rights to design concepts and final products.

 5. Scale Your HR Practices as You Grow

As your firm grows, your HR practices will need to evolve. Whether you choose to hire an in-house HR specialist or work with an external consultant, scaling your HR processes is critical to maintaining smooth operations.

• Hire HR Expertise: Once your firm reaches a certain size, consider bringing in HR professionals to handle the complexities of workforce management. This allows leadership to focus on design work while ensuring the HR systems are sophisticated enough to handle a larger team.

• Regularly Review and Update HR Systems: Keep your HR systems current by conducting regular reviews to ensure they meet your firm’s needs. Gather employee feedback to refine practices, ensuring that your systems are responsive to the evolving workforce.

• Employee Feedback: Create channels for ongoing employee feedback to understand their concerns and proactively improve the employee experience. This could take the form of anonymous surveys or open feedback sessions.

HR systems are often overlooked in interior design and architecture firms, where creativity and project execution tend to take precedence. However, building effective HR practices is critical for scaling and sustaining growth. By prioritizing recruitment, managing performance, fostering a strong culture, staying compliant, and scaling HR systems as needed, design firms can create environments that attract top talent and retain it. In the long run, these HR investments will free up more time for what matters most—designing beautiful, functional spaces.

The ‘great detachment’: How to help workers feel connected at work

This article was originally published in Canadian HR Reporter – written by Jim Wilson.

'Employees that are engaged are happier and happier employees perform better'

The ‘great detachment’ is taking over Gen Z workers at many workplaces, according to a report.

That’s largely because of the remote work setup, finds a previous Gallup study.

The great detachment refers to “how employees – and I would say in particular, younger employees – don't feel connected,” says Janet Candido, founder and principal of Candido Consulting Group, in talking with Canadian HR Reporter.

“They don't feel engaged with their employers. In its simplest terms, they don't have that connection.”

The average Canadian remote worker speaks to someone else only 4.2 times a week - or about once per day, according to the survey published in the Financial Post. As a result, 50 per cent of Gen Z participants noticed a decline in their social skills, and 25 per cent reported a decline in verbal skills.

Similarly, a previous Preply report found that over four in 10 (43 per cent) Canadians believe that their social skills have declined due to limited in-person interactions during remote work.

This should be a cause for concern for employers, says Candido.

“When employees aren't engaged with the company, their performance is not as good,” she says, adding that it can spell as much as a 10 per cent difference in performance. 

“Also, employees that are engaged are happier and happier employees perform better. So, if you have a team of people that are disengaged, what that means is you have a team of people that don't really care how well the company is doing: They don't see how their work matters, they don't recognize the contribution that they're making, they're not linked to the company's success, they're not linked to each other.”

Why are so many employees disengaged at work?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many interns who experienced remote working viewed their experience negatively, according to a previous Glassdoor report.

Workers who came into the workforce during or after the health crisis simply do not have the in-office experience to be able to connect with the company, says Candido.

Before the pandemic, “whether we were conscious of it or not, we were learning social skills,” she says. “We learned how to read body language. We learned how to talk to our colleagues. 

“People who were hired either during or post the pandemic don't have that office experience to fall back on, especially if they're working fully remotely. But even if they're coming in and they're in a hybrid situation, they don't have the experience of working with other people. So, they don't have the social skills, they don't have the communication skills.”

Most Canadian workers are OK with heading back to the office – but employers do not seem to be ready to meet their needs, according to a previous report from Cisco.

How to engage a younger workforce

Making the return to office experience worthwhile is a good place to start for employers to fight the great detachment among young workers, says Candido.

“You have to create experiences during the day that bring them together, that, first of all, justifies for them why they came in. Because if they're just going to sit at their desk and work, they might as well be at home. 

“So, justify why they came in, but also create those opportunities to connect with other people in a more meaningful way, so that they do start to develop those skills.”

Another important option is mentoring – especially when it comes to soft skills and people skills, she says.

Also, communication is key to engaging Gen Z workers, says Candido.

“And by communication, I mean two-way communication, not just you as a leader telling people what's going on. Although that's important – telling them what's going on, what they are doing that's good, help them connect their contribution to the company's success — all those things are good. 

“But to really engage them, you also need to have communication from them. So, give them opportunities to contribute their ideas, their opinions, their suggestions. It gives them more of a sense of ownership over the work that they're doing and more of a connection with the company.”

Employers might want to re-evaluate their employee recognition and feedback mechanisms, because employees are finding them uber-important in the conduct of their work, according to one expert.

Candido also suggests team-building activities, sharing meals during lunch or dinner with workers and other bonding experiences for workers. It’s also important to engage both people who are in the office and those who work remotely in these activities, she says.

Benefits Canada: Employers can help gen Z workers feel less isolated through social activities, mentoring: Experts

This article was originally published in Benefits Canada – written by Sadie Janes.

Generation Z workers may be feeling more disconnected or isolated due to the effects of remote work, but employers can help by providing opportunities for connectivity, says Alexandra Duba, people experience advisor at Xero Ltd.

“It has so much to do with how the [coronavirus] pandemic impacted in-person connection, as well as the impact technology has had on in-person connection over the last decade. Even though we can feel like we’re more connected because of technology, sometimes I think it also inhibits us from feeling a genuine sense of connectivity. And the younger generation seems to be impacted the most.”

Janet Candido, founder and principal at Candido Consulting Group, agrees young workers may be at a social disadvantage due to the effects of the pandemic and remote work. “Older generations have pre-pandemic experience of working in the office, so they had the ability to hone their social skills. A lot of gen Z workers were hired during the pandemic, so they started off working remotely and many still are. Because of this, many don’t have that exposure to know how to read social cues and interact with a colleague. It sounds pretty basic, but it [can lead to feelings of isolation].”

Duba recognizes gen Z workers are more technologically savvy, which can help them adjust in a new work environment, but if they haven’t had much organic in-person experience working with others, it can feel unsettling.

The best way to overcome these feelings is through practice, she adds, noting employers can help by creating platforms for connectivity through in-person meetings and social activities. “When you’re in a remote or hybrid setting . . . it’s on the employer to build programs and engagement opportunities. But when you have a mix of workers at home and in the office, it can be hard to coordinate that. I don’t think there’s a one-size-fits-all solution, but it’s mainly about trying to create opportunities for people to have those moments of connectivity.”

If employers have concerns, Candido suggests they try to bring younger workers into the office periodically, even those who are fully remote. Also, it would help if they ensured the trip to the office is worthwhile for these employees so they’re not just heading straight to their desks to work with their head down, she adds.

“[Foster] those social connections by having group meetings or brainstorming sessions. Get them all together for lunch or something that allows employees to mingle so they can develop the social skills needed at work. General social awareness . . . can be improved [through] coaching and mentoring [as well].”

Benefits Canada Interview: Rise of remote, hybrid working leading employees to a ‘Great Exhaustion,’ says expert

This article was originally published in Benefits Canada – written by Lauren Bailey.

While remote and hybrid working arrangements have revolutionized the modern workplace, they’re also fuelling unrealistic expectations for office communications, leading to what some have coined the ‘Great Exhaustion.’

In the pre-coronavirus pandemic office environment, employees understood that it would take a couple of days for colleagues to respond to an email or phone request, says Janet Candido, founder and principal at Candido Consulting Group, noting employees are now expected to respond to requests right away via email or another chat messaging system and the time spent following up is cutting into their workplace productivity.

“It’s not unusual for [employees] to spend an entire day answering emails or chats, which means they’re often catching up on work at home in the evenings.”

Being inundated with email requests for their time can be overwhelming, frustrating and tiring for employees, she adds. “In many cases, people are working far in excess of what would be considered a normal workday. And it’s not unreasonable to assume that people who are working remotely may be a victim to that even more than [in-office workers]. If they’re spending too much of their day on internal communications, they’re not actually getting their work product done during working hours.”

Indeed, the average employee spends 57 per cent of their time communicating (in meetings, email and chat) and spend the remaining 43 per cent creating (in documents, spreadsheets and presentations), according to a May 2023 survey by Microsoft Corp. It found the heaviest email users (those in the top 25 per cent) spend more than eight hours a week on email and the heaviest meeting users (also the top 25 per cent) spend 7.5 hours a week in meetings.

This exhaustion is also creeping into the office culture, says Candido, noting it’s making employees hesitant to socialize with co-workers or participate in social work events. “They just want to get their work done and go home so the culture becomes much more sterile [lacking] . . . camaraderie.”

But a full return to the office may not be the best solution to this problem, as in-office workers are also experiencing this exhaustion due to long commutes or having to balance caregiving duties with their work hours. While they recognize working in-person is better for collaboration and, in some cases, productivity, she says there’s a real disconnect between what’s better for employees and what’s better for the company and their colleagues.

No matter the preference, people are entrenched in their preferences for working remotely or in-office, which is permeating into other aspects of the workplace, says Candido. “That may be part of where . . . microaggressions [are] coming from, with remote employees feeling [pressure] from leadership who really want them to come into the office.”

She says it’s important that employees — whether working remotely or in-office — have quiet time to focus on their work product. Many employers have addressed this need by blocking off a day or certain hours once per week in their staff calendars for focused work or they’re establishing email etiquette to guide employees on reasonable times and ways to communicate virtually.

Candido doesn’t recommend employers draw a line in the sand and mandate all staff to work in the office five days a week. “Try to do it in a more . . . staggered schedule [and] give people notice, so they can plan around their childcare . . . or elder care. Otherwise, [they’re] all going to come in on those days . . . put [their] head down and not emerge until the end of the day.”