The Adaptable Workplace - The WHY and HOW

COVID Changes The Rules

Remote working has unlocked new ways of integrating life and work and has made an impact on traditionally underrepresented and underserved workplace communities. Since the start of the pandemic and the rise of widespread remote work, we’ve seen increased labour participation for workers with disabilities in the U.S., rising to 38% in September 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Distributed, work-from-home and work-from-anywhere policies have also allowed many workers who had previously experienced bias and high barriers to entry into the workplace to access new opportunities. To continue this momentum and ensure the workplace is accessible to all, flexible remote work must remain foundational to how we view and build our workplaces.

As we emerge from the pandemic, it’s clear that hybrid working as part of typical office work culture is here to stay. Office work companies across the globe have implemented flexible working, and while leaders may be considering the ideal balance of time split between the office and working from home, most continue to offer work-from-home flexibility. As we look to the future, companies and employees alike are concerned about what hybrid working means for them.

Elaborating on the subject Maria said, “The overall perception towards work has changed drastically. We find that the biggest challenge today is that a lot of employees prefer to operate in a hybrid or remote setup. It's pretty hard to convince them to come to the office daily, specifically, if let's say they are introverts or/and their work environment and organizational culture is not very welcoming and supportive. However, hybrid and remote models are not very welcomed by companies with the traditional mindset, while it could definitely add benefits to the overall productivity with the right balanced proportion and knowledge of your team’s requirements (professional, emotional, psychological, and physical).

“In terms of efficiency and performance in an on-site versus WFH environment, results depend on the work environment as well as the employee’s personality. If you put them  all under the same umbrella,  you can't expect the same results because people perform differently within certain circumstances or within certain environments. 

One of the most common questions is WHY so many leaders and companies really struggle to adapt? And this is due to our accumulated patterns. The entire architecture of how we get to work, how we are taught in school, how the paradigms were shaped and what success is defined as, all the reward systems and architecture promotions, all built for stability and continuity and consistency. And this is no longer the case, which leads to the fear. The fear of the unknown. Leadership position power does not help much any more and even creates more pressure on the leader.  We have no benchmark for a hybrid mode of work which makes it hard to validate if I'm as a leader, do things right and make the right decision of letting my team work from home. Plus, I have to prove to HR or the CEO why I’m allowing this while other departments work from the office. To add to that, most employees who prefer WFH feel more empowered, energized and accomplished working remotely. “Why do leaders insist on a return to the office? I believe a fundamental reason is their responsibility as a leader. The success or failure of the company is ultimately the leader's responsibility, and collaboration is essential. The CEO or Senior Manager is not prepared to take the risk of physical separation with his team. Being together in person gives more comfort and belief that we will succeed. On the other hand, control-obsessed personalities are also a common reason for forced return”, added Maria. 

Fostering Inclusive And Adaptable Workplaces

According to Forbes, to build a fairer future of work, accessibility and flexibility must remain at the heart of hiring and employee experience. But, as many leaders rush to return to the office, we cannot ignore the fact that remote work is still the biggest opportunity to create inclusive and accessible workplaces of the future.

Further expanding on the topic, Maria said, “Well, I'm afraid there is no magic formula for creating an Adaptable workplace. This is a constant ongoing process which could be assessed, analyzed and improved. If we break it down into two main components, there would be a strategic element and operational.” 

“From a strategic standpoint, it would be a visionary approach from the ownership or top management side, which will define how adaptable the culture could be. And that vision is cascaded downwards. Thus we are led to an adaptable environment that is nurtured internally.”

“While examining the operational side, certain technical details can provide us with more clarity on our current position, performance, and areas for improvement. Here the AQ assessment comes into play, where we can evaluate three main dimensions (on individual/team/organizational levels) and also provide AI powered analytics with Change Readiness index and  Reskill index,” she said.

The Story Behind AQ

"Many of us are familiar with the term IQ, which defines our general intelligence. However, it no longer serves us in fast-changing environments with lots of uncertainty. The word "adaptability" has gained a lot of traction in recent years, especially during the lockdown days. In its 2021 survey, LinkedIn identified adaptability as the most desired skill based on their learning platform performance. This topic has been researched within academia as well as business, and a new term, AQ (Adaptability Quotient), was introduced in 2019. The main difference of AQ is its complex approach and absence of predefined answers to problems. AQ addresses multi-dimensional scenarios with long-term circumstances affecting not only individuals or organizations, but the environment as well ", explained Maria.

As a certified AQ practitioner and coach, she also leads the AQ Institute in the Middle East helping organizations to navigate and thrive through change. 

"Our strategic partner AQai, the British-based pioneer in the adaptability domain, has empowered us with an advanced analytical tool that we utilize to assess individuals and teams from an adaptability perspective. This enables us to gain insights into abilities, character, and environment across 17 parameters, providing a lot of actionable data points and tendencies on a personal and corporate level. Apart from assessment and consulting services, we also conduct research to identify opportunities for human capital development in the region. Some areas of our research include Arab Women Leadership, Adaptability factors in Emirati culture, and Youth Adaptability Program."

The AQ Institute is a unified global platform for sharing resources, extending knowledge, and engaging with domain experts in the area of Adaptive Intelligence and Human Development. 

Regional Challenges To Promoting Adaptability & Change

'I would say the biggest challenge will be the lack of self-awareness and self-reflection on an individual and organizational basis,' stated our guest. 

“For example, group awareness sessions or group reflection sessions are quite popular in the US, especially within a startup environment. I am absolutely sure that it could be a game changer for our region where we see multicultural environments. Communication is the key which helps to open any door.

Another important thing to consider is fear - the fundamental, primitive human emotion with a high impact on our emotional state and behavior. The fear of change and fear of the unknown can present significant challenges to adapting in a work environment.

Employees may resist changes in policies or procedures because they are comfortable with the status quo and uncertain about what the changes will mean for them. This can lead to resistance, reduced productivity, and negative impacts, including sabotage. The fear of the future and uncertainty can raise stress and anxiety, which negatively affects the workplace environment. It is important to detect these fears at an early stage to provide preventive measures and support to those who need it. 

This is what we look for during our AQ assessment within the Environment dimension, which measures company support, emotional health, team support, work environment, and work stress levels. Employers should acknowledge the significance of emotional literacy and well-being and ensure that they are included in their operations and policies.

Empowering Women Can Help The Region

According to the World Bank, In recent years, the GCC economies implemented ambitious reforms to enhance women's economic inclusion. They have improved women's access to education, health care and employment, and have encouraged women to participate in political life.

Speaking further on this topic, Maria admitted that by empowering women in business, we can foster innovation, creativity, and diversity, leading to better business outcomes and a more equitable society. There are some recent studies which show that women generally have a higher adaptability index. The ratio is between 21 to 34%, depending on certain factors, such as age, background, experience and context. Also, women have higher empathy levels and higher mental flexibility.  Empowering women in business or politics also has positive ripple effects in society, such as improving gender equality and reducing poverty and inequality. 

However, in the Middle East, a challenge that I have observed is a lack of self-confidence and the strong influence of inherited behavioral patterns dictated by culture. The "working woman" image was not well-branded in this region. Nevertheless, I believe that things are changing, particularly within the UAE where this change is happening rapidly. We are already witnessing many women taking over leadership roles in business and government, as well as successful female entrepreneurs such as Huda Kattan, who is well-known for her brand Huda Beauty, Mona Ataya and Leena Khalil from Mumzworld, Joy Ajlouny, co-founder of Fetchr, and many others.

“I firmly believe that if a woman has the inner desire and drive to pursue her goals or vision, she can achieve them with the right support (or even without). When she finds the right encouraging environment to pursue her dreams, there will be nothing to stop her and she would be able to make a bigger impact in less time,” stated Maria

“In fact, many initiatives and special programs have been launched by government, semi-government, and enterprise organizations to support women's empowerment in the region. One of the greatest examples is NAMA (Women Advancement Establishment in Sharjah) and Badiri Academy ( https://www.badiriacademy.org/ ) or Visa She's Next Grant Program (https://ae.visamiddleeast.com/en_AE/run-your-business/she-is-next-campaign.html). I'm sure that is just a beginning. Recently I came across NAMA Women’s Advancement program launched by Sharjah Government, for example, to help women especially housewives to step out of their comfort zone and pursue new adventures in their life ,” Maria added further.