As organisations reshape for a very different future, The London Work, Travel, Convene Coalition is helping businesses share and develop best practice says Richard Waterer, Managing Director EMEA for Aon Global Risk Consulting
No business is an island which is one reason why Aon has got together with other leading employers in London to set up The London Work, Travel, Convene Coalition. It’s the latest in a line of coalitions in major cities around the world to support businesses, communities and society through the pandemic lockdown, and to consider what the future workplace will look like when the world finally breaks free from the grip of COVID-19.
It’s a collaborative approach which has, at its heart, the belief that businesses – who all face similar shared issues around how they work, travel and convene – will see value in sharing ideas and, in some areas, reaching collective decisions.
An appetite to return…eventually
Despite the recent reversal of government advice regarding the return to the office, there is a genuine appetite from employers in the City and Canary Wharf to get people back to the workplace when conditions allow, recognising that they are part of a greater ecosystem that’s critical for the overall health of the economy.
Making decisions as part of the coalition will hopefully help accelerate that return once the pandemic recedes, with three key areas of focus: the first is around planning; the second looks at issues where businesses will benefit from some form of external validation; while the third explores how businesses will ‘reshape’ to thrive and prosper in the post-COVID world.
Planning is key
The first area of focus, then, is that as individual businesses we need to make sure our approach to recovery – how we work, travel, and convene – has been well thought through and planned. At the top of the agenda is the safety of our people. In the simplest way, have we done an appropriate risk assessment for COVID-19 in line with government guidance?
If the safety of our people is a priority, then so is employee health. Some employees who may live by themselves, for example, have little space at home, or are starting out on their career, will be looking for the opportunity to accelerate the return to the office and it’s important they are accommodated. There is a strong wellbeing agenda that supports the need for businesses to make all parts of the workforce – whether remote working or in the office, or a blend of both – feel part of the team and the community in a role that adds value.
Underpinning this is good communication: how frequently do we need to keep communicating with employees, what do we need to say, and what happens if – as we’re seeing now – the guidance from government changes? How do we communicate that? When we think about what employers need to do as individual businesses, returning to the office needs to be a much broader enterprise-wide consideration rather than simply consigning it to the HR function.
Shared decision making
The second area of focus looks at the decisions that businesses need to take that will be difficult without the consideration of other firms. For example, a lot of the high-rise buildings in the City and Canary Wharf are shared occupancy, raising questions of how you manage the flow of people at any one time while using shared lifts and maintaining social distancing. Some perspective on what other companies are going to do will help planning around the movement and the density of people in any one building.
Another example is travel. Aon’s benchmarking for people working in our London HQ shows that 90 minutes is the average commute time which suggests most are taking the train, tube or bus. Even prior to COVID-19, London would see congestion pinch points where tube stations were forced to close for safety. If you introduce social distancing then the footfall that can use the tube safely will be much lower. It will need a more collaborative approach between businesses and organisations like Transport for London to solve problems like these, which might involve shift working for example, more cycling and allowance for walking to and from the station.
Reshape for the future
The third area looks at how we, as businesses, ‘reshape’; how we can make the best of the new world and make sure our businesses thrive and people are safe, healthy and motivated. The agenda for the reshape element of the coalition will be set by the members, but I expect to see a focus on the health and wellbeing of employees; the continuing development of talent; making sure the systems and technology support the ongoing development of people, the importance of maintaining a focus on diversity and inclusion; and the support of social justice and community wellbeing.
There will also be some wider discussions around the role of the workplace in the future. Nobody believes we’re about to abandon the office but perhaps we’ll be using it in a more collaborative and creative way to build teams, support clients and bring on talent. The reshape stage will be a lot about what we’ve learnt over the last six months and how we can make our businesses more resilient.
Of course, it is not yet clear when the UK will emerge from pandemic measures as the second COVID-19 wave takes away much of the flexibility and freedom that employers and employees had begun to enjoy over the summer. A wholesale return to the workplace now appears someway off but that shouldn’t mean the planning to understand what the workplace will look like should be postponed.
An agile coalition
But while that process goes on, the businesses who have been nimble and agile in their decision making are the ones who are – if not profiting – are at least limiting the damage to their organisations as coronavirus continues to circulate. The coalition has similarly had to show the same agility and has pivoted with the ongoing circumstances to not just focus on the eventual return to the workplace but also to make its agenda as immediately relevant to members as it can be, whether it’s actuaries presenting to the group on the development of the virus, or looking at the mental health implications of an extended period of home working.
As the landscape continues to change over the coming months it will be invaluable to have an ongoing forum where people can discuss their issues and share best practice and, where it’s required, reach some common decisions that will be good not just for individual businesses but also for the wider community.
Download the press release for more details on the organisations involved in the London Work, Travel, Convene Coalition.