Page 6 - BOSS Today Issue 52
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BOSS Today #52
1. Productivity 4. Employee Satisfaction & Retention
While many home workers would argue One of the results of the COVID pandemic
“You can’t create a company that productivity at home can be higher has been a shortage of job applicants
culture with everybody than in the office, this is not universally and hence it has now become even more
working remotely... Long true, as Timpson points out: “One of our imperative for all companies to be able
people said to me the other day that it’s
to attract and retain staff. As Shaw
term, it’s bad for business easier for them to work in the office: being explains, the office environment is by
and it’s bad for each in the office means you don’t have the far the best place to foster employee
satisfaction and retention: “When people
distractions of home.”
individual’s mental health.” have been through something like this it
has given them a lot of time to think about
Sir John Timpson CBE, Chairman whether they enjoy their work or not, so
and Owner of Timpson employers need to think about whether
they’re looking after their staff. Employee
satisfaction comes from knowing that
you’re going into work at a nice place
2. Innovation/Creativity where you could look forward to seeing
One of the most significant benefits of your colleagues and catch up with them.”
being in the workplace is the interaction, Timpson puts this even more succinctly:
social contact and creative collaboration “How can you be loyal to something when
that Zoom or MS Teams can emulate but you can’t feel it or touch it or hug it?”
not replace, as Shaw explains: “If I want
to feel like I’m in the thick of it, I don’t Inspiring Destinations
get that at home. You need to get that Achieving a successful return to work
“The workplace has to be inspiration and buzz from working with means that an initial consultation
somewhere you aspire to be other people in a shared space. You don’t with returning staff is key, as Shaw
in, where you want to work.” get the kind of stimulation you need for explains: “Our advice is to consult: talk
the kinds of things that we do by just
to people individually and ask what their
working at home.” circumstances are.” The next phase,
Craig Baldwin, Sales Director, as Baldwin explains, is to look at your
Commercial workplace: “The workplace has to be
somewhere you aspire to be in, where you
want to work. It has to be safe and clean
and a break from home.” Indeed, Timpson’s
view on this point is straightforward and
3. Company Culture challenging: “We need to make the office
What makes Timpson passionate an attractive place to be and a place that
about the workplace is how it uniquely people should want to go to. We’ve tried
creates and shapes company culture: to make our office in Manchester the most
“You can’t create a company culture exciting office in the city. It’s a bit like going
with everybody working remotely: it’s to Disneyland, with a fireman’s pole, two
very counterproductive and the whole telephone boxes, a tree house, a gym and a
creativity coming from people sparking off very well used cafe. It’s a riot of colour, with
each other is lost. Long term, it’s bad for every area having its own theme. Nothing is
business and it’s bad for each individual’s ordinary about our office and there’s a real
mental health.” buzz about the place.”
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