Strategies for Balancing Structure with Flexibility in Work Culture

Last week I shared how AI helped analyze our retreat feedback survey data in minutes. Today, I want to highlight the three elements that our team rated most impactful from our recent company retreat in Ireland... - [New addition] "Connection Court": We created a dedicated space in the castle with games, snacks, and comfy seating that was open throughout the day and late into the night. This gave people a relaxed place to connect in case of bad weather and removed the pressure to drink or socialize in high-energy environments. This was great for introverts and those who don't enjoy the bar scene and provided more inclusive evening activities that worked for everyone. - Doist Build (our company hackathon) hit different this year: We surveyed the team for "hack-worthy" topics ahead of the retreat, pre-selected the top 10 we felt could make an impact on the company, and revealed them the day before so people could start brainstorming. Morning of, it was first-come-first-serve with limited seats per topic, which created some incredible energy to start the day. Best part? The winning team's project was implemented right there at the retreat and immediately improved our onboarding metrics 🚀 - "Choose your own adventure" itinerary structure: Instead of forcing everyone into the same activities, we offered parallel options during free time. We balanced physical activities (hiking, sports), cultural experiences (castle tours, local music), and team building events (escape rooms, group games). This approach let people naturally form smaller groups around common interests, creating deeper connections through shared experiences. After organizing multiple retreats over the years, one principle stands out: create a flexible structure and trust your team to find meaningful ways to connect. When people have the freedom to choose activities that align with their interests and energy levels, authentic relationships naturally develop. Hope this is helpful and I'd love to hear what's working for other teams as well 👇

Executives and employees continue to tussle over return-to-office and AI adoption. Mandates aren't working, but neither does individual chaos. There's a better path forward. I've been working with senior leaders navigating both workplace flexibility and AI adoption, and here's what's striking: the organizations succeeding at one tend to excel at both. Those struggling? They're making identical mistakes. We're repeating the same management failures: Only 25% of managers are trained to lead distributed teams. Only 22% of firms have clear AI adoption plans. After working with dozens of companies, talking with hundreds of leaders and listening to employee and experts, I've identified four pillars that drive success: 🎯 Talent Strategy: Know your "why" and your "who" before mandating anything: am I after top talent, does deep engagement matter, and if so are we willing to invest in human-centered leadership? 📊 Outcomes-Based Management: Measure results, not badge swipes or tool usage. Clear goals and transparent communication unlock alignment, build momentum, and enable trust. 👥 Team-Centered Approach: Teams are where real transformation actually happens; managers and employees building norms and redesigning how they work together. 📚 Learning Culture: Building learning mindset organizations requires investments in experimentation, iteration and support -- and a mindset that knows you're never "done" getting better at how you work. The companies thriving five years from now won't be those with the "right" hybrid policy or "best" AI tools. They'll be the ones that built cultures capable of evolving with whatever changes come next. But I need your input: Which of these four pillars is your biggest challenge right now? Are you struggling with unclear strategy, activity-focused metrics, top-down mandates, or one-time policy thinking? Full framework and diagnostic tool: https://lnkd.in/gyc9ucNA What am I missing? Where do you see organizations getting this right? #FutureOfWork #Leadership #ChangeManagement

Everyone wants flexible work, right? Yet “flexible work” can trip people up. Why is that? Because it’s too vague:  - Employees saying they want "flexible" work can be heard as "I’ll exclusively decide where and when I’ll work" and the employer doesn't know when the person is available and feels unsettled. - Employers saying they offer flexible work can be heard as "we'll let you 'sneak out' a bit if you need to but don't make a big deal about it and by the way we’ll ask *you* to flex all the time.”   Instead of asking for “flexibility,” or saying that you offer it, here’s what you should do instead:  - Identify the requirements for specific jobs - one type of flexibility won’t work for every job in a whole organization  - Designate “core hours” for collaboration and synergy when teammates know they need to be available for one another or for clients  - Offer Training and Support: Provide training sessions and resources to help employees AND managers create adaptive work environments.  - Schedule regular check-in meetings between managers and team members to discuss progress, challenges, and goals. People’s lives will change and their needs will change. Your organization will change and your needs will change. - Lead with mutuality - you’re in this *with* your team. Clear communication and team-and-position specific approaches are key to making flexible work arrangements successful. Ready to Embrace Flexibility? Start Today: Take the first step towards creating a more flexible and productive work environment by implementing these strategies in your organization. #WorkReimagined #FlexibleWork

A reality check from my decade coaching Fortune 500 leaders: The data is undeniable: -Approximately 41% of U.S. employees with jobs that can be performed remotely are engaged in hybrid work arrangements, working from home some days and from the office on others. Pew Research Center -Companies that cultivate strong hybrid work cultures often experience lower turnover rates, as flexible work arrangements contribute to higher employee satisfaction and loyalty. -Leaders who effectively manage hybrid teams by focusing on outcomes and fostering inclusivity tend to see enhanced team performance and engagement. McKinsey & Company The most successful hybrid leaders aren't attempting to replicate traditional office culture in a virtual setting. Instead, they're pioneering entirely new frameworks tailored to the hybrid model. Three Proven Strategies from Top-Performing Clients: 1. Digital-First Communication Architecture -Prioritize asynchronous communication to respect diverse schedules. -Allocate synchronous meetings for meaningful collaboration. Result: Notable reduction in meeting fatigue, leading to more productive work hours. 2. Core Hours Framework -Establish designated overlapping hours across time zones for real-time interactions. -Protect blocks of time for deep, focused work. -Implement documented decision-making processes to maintain clarity. Outcome: Accelerated decision-making processes and heightened employee engagement. 3. Connection Catalysts -Create intentional opportunities for relationship building. -Organize structured informal interactions, such as virtual coffee chats. -Rotate team members in these activities to foster cross-functional collaboration. -Impact: Strengthened team cohesion and improved cross-departmental communication. Takeaway: Leading hybrid teams effectively requires a focus on outcomes rather than processes, building trust over surveillance, and ensuring clarity to prevent misunderstandings. Don't miss this opportunity to transform your leadership approach for the hybrid era. #HybridLeadership #RemoteWork #LeadershipDevelopment #TeamBuilding #FutureOfWork

Smart Strategies from Clients I am grateful to work with some truly amazing clients. This week, I've been reflecting on a few smart strategies from some of these clients. 1. Focus on results, not butts in seats. Several clients are completely distributed, which means they are able to hire top talent from around the US (and in some cases, world). This means that performance is measured on results, outcomes, and moving the company vision and goals forward —not "butts in seats." 2. Give people flexibility about when to be on video. This honors the fact that people are working within different time zones, and also gives team members flexibility to do a lunchtime workout without having to be "video-ready" by 1 pm. 3. Go for "screen equality." This means that if some people are on video for a meeting (versus in-person), everyone is on video for a meeting. This avoids the awkward situation where 6 people are clustered in a conference room where we can't hear the people in the back of the room, and it also avoids the situation where the few remote participants don't have an equal voice in the meeting. *Note: there are sometimes exceptions to this, of course —for example, during a team offsite where a remote option is provided. 4. Keep an eye on the future, not just the present. This means that yes, we are solving current problems and challenges —but we are doing so in a way that keeps a continuous eye on our 1, 3, 5+ year vision. 5. Find a balance of structure/process and freedom/autonomy. This means putting processes and structures in place where it makes sense to do so, but allowing for freedom, autonomy, and different approaches where appropriate. This reduces administrative overhead for everyone, and also respects individual working styles. These are just a few —what others would you add to the list? Happy Friday! #leadership #executivecoaching #expansiveimpact

Flexibility vs. Accountability: Can Leaders Truly Have Both? 🎯Balancing flexibility and performance standards can be challenging for leaders. Here's how to achieve it effectively: 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Trust your team and assume they want to do a great job. 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞: Let your team know how much you value their attention, effort, and outcomes. 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: Trust employees to manage their schedules and work processes. 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬: Be clear about how their work impacts the team, organization, and customers. 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Align performance expectations with what they love and what’s needed for the team and organization. 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞: Ask questions and give opportunities for ideas and initiative. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Provide feedback, coaching, and guidance for continuous improvement. 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Ensure opportunities for learning and growth toward meaningful goals. 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞: Celebrate wins, recognize efforts, and hold people accountable. By focusing on these principles, you can create a productive and engaged team that thrives on flexibility and meets performance standards. 👉 How do you balance flexibility and performance standards with your team? 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬! #Leadership #TeamManagement #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeEngagement

How do you ensure your flexible work strategy fosters strong connections and engagement? 🤔 Our research shows flexibility provides freedom, but it can also lead to disengagement if leaders don’t act. Here are 3 critical questions to guide People leaders: 🌟 Are managers staying connected with their teams? ➡️ Metric: Manager 1:1 frequency or co-attendance of meetings. Regular 1:1s are vital for addressing challenges, providing support, and building trust. Employees without consistent manager contact are far more likely to disengage. ✅ What to do: Use data to identify gaps and prioritize regular 1:1s for all team members, ensuring remote workers don’t feel overlooked. 📊 Are employees getting in-person facetime with managers? ➡️ Metric: Weeks since last manager facetime. Face-to-face interactions build strong relationships. Employees who go over 4 months without seeing their manager report feeling less supported. ✅ What to do: Highlight teams with long facetime gaps and encourage periodic in-office or structured gatherings. 👥 Are employees connecting with leaders? ➡️ Metric: Executive facetime or meeting co-attendance. Flex work reduces visibility to leaders, making it harder to share vision and build alignment. ✅ What to do: Use data to identify gaps and create opportunities for intentional leader-employee interaction through town halls or meetups. 🚀 The takeaway: Flex work success isn’t just about freedom—it’s about creating intentional connections. Use these metrics to ensure your strategy fosters engagement and performance. Find the full blog from our team at Worklytics in the comments below. How is your organization bridging the gap between flexibility and connection? #PeopleAnalytics #HRAnalytics #HybridWork #WorkplaceStrategy #OrganizationalEffectiveness

Finding Balance: The Science Behind Our Workplace Strategy The Gallup World Happiness Report 2025 confirms what we at CFCU have been working toward: meaningful social connections are fundamental to happiness and productivity. The research shows that in-person interactions build stronger relationships, foster spontaneous collaboration, and reduce feelings of disconnect – all while acknowledging the clear benefits of flexibility and choice in where we work. That's why we've developed our "Work from Work Wednesdays" initiative – a thoughtful approach that coordinates in-person collaboration on the second Wednesday of each month while preserving our commitment to employee flexibility. We're not returning to outdated models or imposing rigid mandates. Instead, we're creating intentional opportunities for relationship building, cross-team pollination, and the type of spontaneous interactions that research shows directly contribute to wellbeing and innovation. Our approach acknowledges both the benefits of remote work (flexibility, work-life balance, expanded talent pool) and the irreplaceable value of in-person connection. It's about balanced coordination rather than control. At CFCU, we believe the future of work isn't about choosing between remote flexibility or in-person connection – it's about thoughtfully integrating both to create a workplace where people can truly thrive. What strategies has your organization implemented to balance flexibility with connection? I'd love to hear your thoughts. #FutureOfWork #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeWellbeing #Leadership #RemoteWork

How to Make Flexible Work Work: Why Manager Support is the Game Changer 💡 Ever wondered why some employees thrive with flexible work while others struggle? New scientific research from Public Personnel Management uncovers a critical factor: it’s not just about offering flexible work—it’s about how managers support it . 📊 Key Findings: 🔹 4 types of managerial approaches to flexible work impact employee well-being: 1️⃣ Unconditional Support – Managers trust employees fully, leading to higher job satisfaction and productivity. 2️⃣ Performance-Contingent Support – Flexibility is only granted to high performers, creating inequality and frustration. 3️⃣ No Support – Lack of trust and rigid work expectations drive stress and disengagement. 4️⃣ Transfer of Responsibility – Managers defer decisions to HR or senior leaders, resulting in uncertainty and inconsistency. 🔹 Well-being outcomes vary drastically based on managerial style, even within the same organization. 🔹 Managers who have positive past experiences with flexible work are more likely to support it proactively. 🔑 How to Ensure Flexible Work Actually Works in Your Organization ✅ Train Leaders in Trust-Based Flexibility Management 📌 How? Shift the focus from hours worked to outcomes delivered. Equip managers with coaching skills to support remote employees effectively. Encourage role modeling—leaders who embrace flexibility set the tone for their teams. 📊 Impact: Trust-driven flexible work policies boost engagement by 30% and reduce absenteeism by 25% . ✅ Standardize Flexible Work Policies to Reduce Bias 📌 How? Ensure flexibility isn’t just a privilege for top performers but a strategic tool for all employees. Set clear, fair criteria for access to remote and flexible arrangements. Monitor and address workload creep—remote work shouldn’t mean employees are “always on.” 📊 Impact: Companies with structured flexible work strategies see 35% higher employee retention . ✅ Empower Managers with Tools to Handle Remote Performance 📌 How? Provide guidelines on evaluating remote productivity. Offer mentorship for managers hesitant about flexible work. Educate leaders on the impact of flexibility on mental well-being. 📊 Impact: Training managers in effective flexible work policies reduces burnout by 28% and improves employee well-being by 40% . 🚀 The Bottom Line Flexible work can improve well-being and performance, but only when managers are equipped to support it fairly and effectively. Organizations must go beyond policy and focus on leadership development to ensure success. 📖 Buick, F., Blackman, D. A., Glennie, M., Weeratunga, V., & O’Donnell, M. E. (2024). Different Approaches to Managerial Support for Flexible Working: Implications for Public Sector Employee Well-Being. Public Personnel Management, 53(3), 377–405. 👉 What’s been your experience with flexible work—has leadership made it easier or harder? #Leadership #FlexibleWork #WorkplaceWellbeing #HR #Trust #EmployeeEngagement