Elevating HR Newsletter

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Happy Day After Earth Day!

In honor of our favorite blue marble, this week, we're looking at how hybrid work has the potential to positively impact our environment long-term.

Hybrid Enivornment

Last year was the 50th Earth Day. And it was probably the planet's favorite.

• With most of the globe locked down celebrating at home in April 2020, traffic and, subsequently, pollution levels dropped to Instagram-worthy levels.
  
  
• While this drop was only temporary (as anyone who drives 131 on a Friday afternoon can attest), the pandemic will permanently change how workplaces impact the environment. 

Reducing business travel, in particular, will significantly alter organizations' carbon footprint. In 2019, transportation accounted for 29% of the U.S. greenhouse emissions, more than any other sector. 

• 86% of CFOs expect to continue the trend of reducing travel expenses, with 41% planning to decrease travel expenses permanently according to a recent survey conducted by Grant Thornton.
  
  
• Limiting plane travel will be incredibly impactful. As The New York Times noted in 2013: "One round-trip flight from New York to Europe or to San Francisco creates a warming effect equivalent to 2 or 3 tons of carbon dioxide per person. The average American generates about 19 tons of carbon dioxide a year... So if you take five long flights a year, they may well account for three-quarters of the emissions you create."

But, but, but... less office space doesn't necessarily mean a smaller company carbon footprint. In fact, it may mean the opposite.

• A recent study found that depending on local climate, an organization's total energy footprint can be higher when staff work from home. Commercial HVAC systems are more sophisticated than residential ones, and heating and cooling one large space is more efficient than cooling and heating dozens (or hundreds) of small ones.
  
  
• This impact can be mitigated by having employees use the office space on a regular basis. But keeping energy expenses down would require offices to only be open a few days a week, instead of every day. This might prove a challenge as companies compensate for reduced space by increasing hot-desking.

Bottom line. A hybrid workplace isn't inherently more sustainable than a traditional one. But with strategic planning, organizations can optimize their spaces to reduce their overall impact.

What Else Caught Our Eye This Week

Attention on retention. Remote work has opened up a new pool of talent for companies. But as more companies wade in, staying competitive will become more costly. How can HR help their organization keep pace? Focus on retention. Read.

Information transportation. Ford's purpose is to build a world "where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams." Their indefinite WFH policy and retooling of the Glass House is a case study in applying purpose to people strategy. Read.

Empty seats add up. It's expensive being short-staffed, from lost productivity to overtime pay. But often, we only account for costs while the position is unfilled. And leave off the long-lasting losses in team morale and customer satisfaction. Read.

Contingent metrics. Advances in tech and the pandemic's reshuffling of talent have accelerated adoption of gig work. This shift is an opportunity for organizations and workers to balance flexibility and productivity. But only if managed correctly. Read.

Conversation (re)starter. COVID shattered lines of organizational communication. And that's a good thing. Leaders have a chance to shift from top-down, command-centric messaging to informal, immediate, and personal conversations. Read.

Talent Watch

We lead searches for a variety of positions for a variety of organizations across a variety of industries. Check out our most recent ones below:

• Business Administrator, AMDG Architects. More.
• Human Resources Manager, Confidential. More.
• Executive Assistant, The Right Place. More.
• Development Director, Meals on Wheels Western Michigan. More.
• Chief Executive Officer, Five Healthy Towns. More.
• Business Development Specialist, The Right Place. More.
• Accounting Manager, Monsma Marketing Corporation. More.

Additional Resources

Collaborative Cafe Notes. Couldn't make it to Tuesday's Collaborative Cafe on Post-Traumatic Growth? While we don't record Cafes, we do take notes! You can view them on this Google Jamboard.

Need a people strategy sounding board? Whether you have a specific challenge to discuss or just need to decompress, we're here to talk. Schedule a free 30-minute consultation with one of our people strategists. Find a time.

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