The Future of Hybrid Work

Rob Pretty, the Vice President and Head of People Solutions at Takeda has nearly 20 years of experience in the human resources (HR) and shared services space. In that time, Rob has become skilled in areas such as shared service center design and implementation, service management, solution design, and much more. As Head of People Solutions at Takeda Business Solutions (TBS), the global business services arm of Takeda, Rob leads a team that provides HR solutions for processes such as payroll and employee data administration in 54 of the countries where Takeda has a presence. 

On February 1st Rob will be speaking at SSON’s HR 4.0 Digital Transformation Summit where he will join the “How Stable Is Hybrid?” panel discussion. During the session, Rob and other HR professionals will discuss where the future of hybrid is headed, and what working from home has taught us about employee productivity.

Can you describe what hybrid work looks like at Takeda Business Solutions (TBS)?

Rob: We have a variety of employee populations across Takeda – hybrid, remote and on site. Within Takeda Business Solutions (TBS), in particular, the majority of employees are hybrid workers coming to the office two or three times per week. We see value in some activities being completed remotely, such as work that requires quiet time and doesn’t rely on a huge amount of collaboration. However, we believe that for the majority of TBS roles it’s important to be in the office on a regular basis to collaborate, fuel innovation and foster relationships with colleagues and peers. So, the expectation is that hybrid work will continue for those employees who benefit from consistent opportunities for collaboration.   

What have you learned about employee performance during hybrid work?

Rob: Performance for roles is measured and benchmarked in different ways. For those roles that don’t require significant collaboration time, employees may actually perform better at home because they have the flexibility to work around their home life and commitments. But productivity for employees in more strategic roles is likely to be negatively impacted by a lack of in-office time because they’re missing out on face-to-face interaction and brainstorming time. 

I think the more important question is: What will be the longer-term impact of hybrid working models on performance and workplace culture? Will companies be able to retain their people if they are not consistently seeing their peers and are missing out on important in-person interactions? 

We’re seeing a rising trend, particularly noted this year by several large tech companies in the US, in companies who are mandating in-office work, and the consequent employee turnover. Do you think offering hybrid work will have an impact on retaining talent?

Rob: There has been a fundamental shift in employee expectations across the global workforce over the last few years – and mutual flexibility is key. While many employees have embraced the return to in-person work over the last year, there are also those whose preference is to work at home longer-term.

At TBS, because of our belief in the power of in-person collaboration, we don't subscribe to that approach. We understand that much of our success has stemmed from the time we’ve spent working together face-to-face – and this will continue going forward. At the same time, we do recognize that the world has changed, and that people expect flexibility from their employer.

Hybrid work has also delivered significant value. For example, it allows companies to extend their talent pool beyond traditional geographical boundaries. And from a diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) perspective, it has certainly been a lever for companies to become more diverse and to engage underrepresented minorities and demographics more effectively.

Personally, I believe that the companies that may experience a problem retaining talent are those that evolve too far in one direction (either completely remote or in-person). Will employees who are working on a completely remote basis miss out on important interactions that could potentially impact their longer-term growth?

Are there any technology solutions that have had a beneficial impact on hybrid workers?

Rob: The focus should be on leveraging technology to support employee engagement and well-being, e.g., tools that enable employees to better manage their work-life alignment. Similarly, leveraging digitalization and automation promotes both employees’ performance and their well-being. At TBS, we launched our award-winning Finance Automation Program in 2020, in partnership with Takeda’s Global Data, Digital and Technology (DD&T) organization. This gamified program provides an exciting learning opportunity for employees within Takeda’s Global Finance organization, who can build skills in robotic process automation (RPA) to automate mundane or repetitive tasks. This translates into significant time savings and creates a better employee experience.

Apps that help relieve stress, through meditation and breathing exercises, can also offer huge value. We’re learning that it’s the small things – and not just the larger initiatives – that all add up to have a positive impact on employee well-being. And this can have an effect on sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) goals too.

To wrap things up, can you give me a prediction for the future of hybrid work?

Rob: I don’t think the working world is ever going back to the way it was pre-pandemic, but I do think we’ll start to see a leveling of the pendulum somewhere between companies that believe they no longer need physical office space and those that believe their success depends on employees coming to an office 40 hours per week.

I think companies will start to determine, on an individual basis, where on the hybrid work spectrum they should lie, based on factors such as industry. Similarly, I think we’re going to see the emergence of hybrid arrangements that are more role-based. Meaning companies can establish a hybrid work strategy based on what’s important for specific roles – whether that be going to the office one week per month, or two days per week. 

Another trend I’m seeing is how younger generations, like recent graduates, actively want to be in the office. If you look at office participation, we are seeing it coming from the top (senior management) and the bottom (recent graduates) who may find the office to be a more productive space than their home environment.