Christian Klein, CEO of German software group SAP. (Photo by Uli Deck / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ULI ... [+]
POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesSAP CEO Christian Klein just announced their flexible work model employee pledge. It’s terrific. It reads as follows:
- A 100% flexible and trust-based workplace as the norm, not the exception
- An inclusive environment in which people can work from home, at the office, or remotely, so everyone is empowered to run at their personal best, driving success for SAP’s customers
- Flexible work schedules, so employees can decide when they work aligned with business needs
- Inspiring office designs tailored for creativity, collaboration, community, and focused work, enabling employees to find the right space for every task
- Office buildings that prioritize sustainability and health
- An approach that meets local regulations across the many regions where our employees work
Why is it so compelling?
First, it advocates for a flexible and inclusive work environment and grounds the model on a trust-based workplace. That’s ensuring all 100,000+ team members across the globe understand that as much as it’s nice to know about the flexibility of where I work, it’s equally important to realize that the ‘how’ of work centers on trust. Thus, their pledge is a behavioral expectation model, not just one that dictates where the work can be performed.
Second, SAP is getting ahead of the curve. First, it asked for feedback in 2020 and into 2021 from its global workforce. That feedback surfaced the following employee data points:
- 16% of employees prefer to work only remotely
- 49% plan to work in the office for one or two days per week
- 6% plan to work in the office for a full five days per week
- 94% of employees plan to take advantage of any flexibility the company provides
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As society begins to slowly enter a post-pandemic era, SAP used the feedback to highlight to employees it is taking its responsibility of flexible work seriously. It is now set to make the necessary changes before the end of the pandemic to reset the how and where of work.
Third, it’s a global company. (I should know, I worked there for just over six years.) There are offices big and small scattered right across the planet. Employees already know how to work in distributed and remote teams. The issue that pops up often with global companies like SAP is whether or not senior leadership advocates for flexible schedules.
It’s quite common, for example, for west coast employees in North America to be staying up late into the evening to accommodate meetings with employees in the Asia-Pacific region. But, if the flexible work model now dictates that flexible work schedules are equally crucial to where people work, there may be some health and wellness benefits to the organization if they can take back the time during the next day, etc.
Of course, all of this presupposes that country managers and line leaders subscribe to the flexible work schedule mantra, but if they do, then overworked and overly stressed employees may be a thing of the past at SAP. (Let’s check back in 12-18 months to see how it’s playing out.)
And finally, SAP signalled that the office buildings would be changing to support the new flexible work model. I recall with fondness at its main headquarters in Walldorf, Germany, the vast number of “coffee corners” scattered throughout the many buildings. These “coffee corners” allowed team members to casually or purposefully mingle, collaborate, and share ideas.
I see the same idea being applied to all SAP buildings across the globe, but focusing on the critical criteria of collaboration, creativity, community, sustainability and health. I see a company that advocates for much more huddle and touch-down space, reimagining what needs to happen to allow for brainstorming, customer engagements, training, and other face-to-face encounters to happen—much like the coffee corners, but on a grander scale.
In sum, kudos to SAP for aligning much of the pledge on trust, empowerment, flexibility, wellness and collaboration. I can’t wait to visit one of the refurbished buildings one day.
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My 4th book, “Lead. Care. Win. How to Become a Leader Who Matters,” was recently published. Amy. C. Edmondson of Harvard Business School calls it “an invaluable roadmap.” 16+ hour, self-paced online leadership development program is also available. Nearly 100 videos across nine lessons.
The Link LonkJune 02, 2021 at 03:48AM
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SAP Just Announced A Flexible Work Model Employee Pledge That Is Fantastic - Forbes
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