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Operational Performance

By Madison Hanscom, Ph.D. Researchers who study telework argue that successful virtual teams are determined more by successful or unsuccessful leadership rather than other factors such as technology (1). Poor leadership is poor leadership. If you take a substandard leader and move them into a flex work environment - they won’t do any better. There are foundational leadership competencies that help all teams succeed - whether the team is in an office or working remotely. These include leading with a big picture goal and supporting the company’s vision, building interpersonal connections and collaboration, walking the talk, demonstrating ethics and integrity, managing

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By Madison Hanscom, Ph.D. As many businesses are considering (or have already decided) moving some employees to a permanent telework model after the COVID-19 outbreak, the question comes up often — will flex work change my culture? So, yes, the culture can change when entering a more flexible environment. Though the extent to which the culture will change depends on several factors. For example, how large is the change? If the company is moving to a 100% remote model, this will have different implications than if moving to a 50% telework model. How strong was the culture to begin with? If the

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By Madison Hanscom, Ph.D.Whether you have already been working in a remote environment or you are new to world of virtual meetings as a result of COVID-19, it is always a good idea to check in to reflect on the effectiveness of meetings. At Propulo, we have been holding virtual meetings long before the pandemic, and here are some ideas from our desk to yours: Don’t forget the interpersonal touches  Sometimes it can be difficult to engage with employees or coworkers in the same way you would face-to-face through a video platform. When you are not in the same room as

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By Eric Johnson What happens once a crisis is over?  Do you go back to normal?  What are the expectations of management?  Employees? Customers?  Harvard Business School magazine penned a crisis management article years ago that outlined a process for crisis managers in organizations to best deal with issues that affect the organization holistically and that are a part of the public domain.  It was an operating plan that discussed scenario planning, triggering events, actions and responses, and a number of other elements specific to dealing with the issue at hand.  Additionally, it established a control and command component to centralize decision-making and messaging with a defined org. structure

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By Eric Johnson As sustainability takes the place of panic within the current pandemic, many organizations we have engaged with have asked what will things look like over the next year and beyond. As the pandemic curves flatten out and organizations get back to business, a new normal is settling in that will change the way business will be conducted across every industry. From shifting consumer demand to erosion of business due to customer lost income, the landscape for developing a new normal means developing a system for meeting presumed expectations consistently. Conduct a thorough evaluation of your products and production, with a focus on

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By Madison Hanscom, PhD In previous blogs, we have discussed the benefits companies can experience from Flex Work arrangements (1). Because flexible work requires less commuting and office space, this also has positive implications for the environment. This is because there is an associated reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (2). There are clear benefits to businesses and the environment, but how about individuals? Although some individuals experience negative components of remote work, such as loneliness (see our blog post on common challenges associated with Flex Work, (3)), there are many positive outcomes employees can enjoy from Flex Work. According to researchers, telework

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