Issue 11 2021

CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 10 2021 5 Cultural differences in communication and dealing with conflict lead to significant challenges in international working environments, finds new research from the Vienna University of Economics and Business. This research conducted by Professors Nadine Thielemann, Regina Göke and Zlatoslava, investigated how complaints are communicated in the workplace. The study was carried out using an online survey of academic staff at universities in Russia, Poland, Germany, Austria and France. The research discovered that how criticism is communicated in the workplace is particularly influenced by the balance of power between the people involved. In addition, the gravity of the misconduct plays an important role in the complaint. The way in which complaints were communicated to teammembers by supervisors were very solution-oriented. However, differences were observed in the way the proposed solution was presented. In France, failures are addressed directly and blame is assigned before a solution, whereas in Germany and Austria, this wasn’t of great importance. The Germans took a more analytical approach, offering support in working towards a solution. In Russia and Poland, the proposed solution was expressed as a call to action. German test subjects were observed to be the most likely to complain, followed closely by the Austrian, Polish and Russian subjects. In the data on French speakers, just over half opted to avoid conflict. Where there is no power imbalance, the risk of confrontation is avoided. “Once employees understand that behavioural strategies that may be different from their own are culture- and language-specific conventions, these behaviours may be less of a source of irritation. These employees are then better prepared for working abroad or in a linguistically and culturally diverse workplace,” says Professor Thielemann. Thielemann, Nadine; Göke, Regina; Savych, Zlatoslava. 2021. Motzen und Moral. Eine kontrastiv pragmatische Pilotstudie zur Unzufriedenheitskommunikation am universitären Arbeitsplatz (FR - DE - AT - PL - RU). Zeitschrift für Slawistik. 66 (1), 140-173. Hybrid working gives your organisation a significant advantage in securing talent by widening the pool of applicants After working remotely for so long, many organisations are wondering how to reincorporate office working. Should we go ‘back to normal’ or embrace hybrid working: office working combined with working from home or elsewhere? Researchers from Vlerick Business School, Professor Katleen de Stobbeleir and Professor Karlien Vanderheyden, have outlined five advantages of hybrid working and how they can be secured in a new white paper: 1. MAJOR ADVANTAGE IN HIRING TALENT Hybrid working gives your organisation a significant advantage in securing talent by widening the pool of applicants you can hire from. While potential applicants have previously been restricted by commuting distance, this no longer applies. Access to a broader talent pool also fosters increased diversity and inclusion in companies. Professor de Stobbeleir says, “Flexibility in working location and hours is good for your employer branding as younger employees want more control in this area. Employees in other phases of life, such as young parents or caregivers, will also embrace the chance to work from home.” 2. CONTRIBUTION TO SUSTAINABILITY OBJECTIVES Hybrid working can make a significant contribution to CO2 reduction as employees travel less frequently between their home and work office. If they do have to go into the office, they can be flexible with when they work and therefore when they travel. Your company is then contributing to sustainability goals and your employees benefit as well. 3. SAVE ON OFFICE COSTS If a large number of your employees are working from a different location, the company office can start to feel like unnecessary expenditure. In this case, moving to a cheaper, smaller office or building to use as more of a meeting space might be a smarter choice financially. 4. INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY Previous research has found that working from home can increase work output. Professor Vanderheyden says, “Assuming home working conditions are suitable, the employee will be able to focus better than in an average office. There is more focus on the job at hand and there are less disruptions than in the office. Many companies indicate that working partly at home increased productivity both qualitatively and quantitatively, and employees get more done in the same time than before.” 5. ENERGISE EMPLOYEES Hybrid work allows employees to fit working with their personality and stage in life. One person might thrive off social interaction every day, while another prefers to isolate themselves while working. By offering that choice, employees have more control over the place, time, and manner in which they work and will experience less stress. They will also have more opportunities to relax while working, resulting in lower absenteeism. Hybrid working can be successfully introduced into your organisation with guidelines rather than rigid rules. Discussing when home working can be employed and standards of work to be met avoids misunderstandings and feelings of too much obligation. You should also consider a short- and long-term strategy for how hybrid working will take place. Different needs may arise in terms of staffing, job content, or talents. It’s a good idea to prepare for this in advance. Give yourself the freedom to evaluate your strategy regularly and adjust it where necessary on the basis of your experiences. This information was published in the white paper Omarm Hybride Werken In Uw Bedrijf (Embrace hybrid working in your business). How criticism at work is handled by different cultures