Richard Ghilarducci: Reminders for Business Leaders

Business strategies play a huge part in the organization’s success. Some companies, especially the bigger ones, have several different departments, which means there are more processes and more strategies to consider.

Today, Richard Ghilarducci looks at some business strategies that have been redefined over previous years because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other global events.

Work has changed during the pandemic. COVID-19 has sped up digital transformation in organizations by approximately three to four years, and workers have adapted quite handily. For example, remote jobs, around 20 percent of all jobs on LinkedIn, received over 50 percent of all job applications. That is by no meager means a small number.

Richard Ghilarducci also notes that resistance to some degree of flexible working will probably put companies at a competitive disadvantage. To date, more and more organizations have started to realize this. That said, there are a lot of other companies that continue to hold onto outdated strategies that made sense before, failing to consider that times have changed a great deal.

For instance, 95 percent of executives believe that their employees need to be present in the office to keep the company culture alive. Also, a study found that the collaboration of Microsoft employees dropped by 25 percent and became more siloed remotely compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Despite this, 64 percent of employees said they would most likely resign if expected to return to the office full-time. Hybrid working has become part of modern work culture, and companies like Goldman Sachs and leaders like Elon Musk are starting to lose their grip on the in-office workforce.

Employees want modernized policies and clear communication. Experts and researchers believe that in the coming years, HR practitioners will have clear principles about how, where, and when work is done. They will likely facilitate internal conversations on this topic. They will also likely push their organization to make decisions. It, even if they are temporary, as organizations explore different workplace strategies, adds Richard Ghilarducci.

Furthermore, As HR professionals, constant learning and development are necessary to keep up with the evolving trends in the workforce. One crucial area of focus is overcoming proximity bias, an unconscious tendency that favors employees seen in the office over remote workers. Educating managers and employees on this bias is crucial to creating an inclusive work environment that values all employees’ contributions, regardless of their physical proximity. HR practitioners must work on establishing objective performance metrics, salary increases, and promotion criteria to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all employees. Through deliberate efforts, HR professionals can create a workplace that prioritizes fairness, equality, and inclusivity for all its employees.

Humboldt State University alumnus Richard Ghilarducci held leadership roles, including Chief Executive Officer. He was also a community leader and was elected Mayor for three terms. Read more about his leadership, communication, and management insights by following this blog.