Please call me a TWAT
(TWAT = office-based only Tuesdays, Wednesdays And Thursdays)
Now that the world is beginning to open up a little more, it’s time to put some theory into practice. We all need to become TWATs. There are some enthusiastic advocates for TWATism - not least the venerable Rory Sutherland (Vice-Chairman at ad agency Ogilvy UK, behavioural science nerd, celebrated author and TED Talk superstar).
He has long argued that one seriously valuable lesson that COVID has taught us is that many of us really never needed to be in the office Monday to Friday in the first place.
Ideas about flexible working are not new - but, as with many theories, it wasn’t exactly a universal practice. Of course the technology for remote working has been around (and improving) for sometime, but it had only really become a reality for a small fraction of the workforce.
Well that soon got turned on its head, didn’t it?
Vast numbers of us have become Zoomers, Skypers, Teamers, Webexers, etc.
And surprise, surprise (once we all got past the clumsy phase) – it all seems to work remarkably well.
But over and above discussions about video conferencing etiquette, the simplified logistics of WFH, the time/cost savings of not having to commute, and the joys of working in your PJs, there is something that isn’t really talked about too much.
The joy of trust
We think that the real reason we used to have to go into the office according to the traditional work ethic regime of 9am-to-5pm (and variations thereof) was because employers (consciously, unconsciously, or subconsciously) didn’t really trust employees to put in a proper shift at home.
But it turns out a lot of us do. Not least because we have mortgages, bills, and other fiscal commitments that require a wage to allow us to live ‘…in the manner to which we’ve become accustomed’. It’s perfectly logical.
Where might this sense of mutual respect take us? We think it will only be good for business, and the working culture. No need for any more of those artless and contrived Dress Down Fridays or wince-inducing Summer Parties, Team Pizzas, etc.
We think this is the hard shiny truth we need to carry into the post-COVID world – less vapid talk about supposed ‘New Normals’ (yawn), and more about exploiting the liberating concept of empowered, self-managing team players.
Just treat employees like adults.
We think it could lead to something of a working nirvana for many - with the prospect of hyper-efficiency, increased job satisfaction, and a healthier work-life balance too.
And how long before we see WFH as a standard feature in job descriptions?
Summary
We think it’s fair to say that Covid has certainly (actively misquoting Maurice Micklewhite/Michael Caine here) ‘…blown the bloody doors off!’ of our ingrained attitudes to the working day.
But in truth, change is always inevitable in business, as well as life. Hero brands simply aren’t hero brands forever. However, change isn’t to be bemoaned, ignored, or feared - we just need to see beyond the noise and rhetoric, and remember that if you can change people’s perspectives, you will probably change their behaviour too.