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Bryan Otte, Chief Human Resources Officer at MGAC, examines the shifting dynamics of remote and hybrid work models. Addressing challenges in workplace connections, mentorship and trust, Otte advocates a human-centric approach for HR leaders. This study aims to deliver insights and practical strategies, guiding HR professionals in adapting strategies to facilitate meaningful connections, robust mentorship programs and sustained professional growth within the evolving work environment.

Bryan Otte uses a qualitative approach, leveraging his role as Chief Human Resources Officer at MGAC. The methodology involves a thorough examination of the impacts of remote and hybrid work models on workplace dynamics. Otte integrates real-world examples and insights, offering practical strategies for HR leaders with a focus on a human-centric perspective. This approach combines professional expertise with a nuanced understanding of the evolving workforce, providing concise and valuable guidance for adapting HR strategies to the changing landscape of work.

Otte’s findings reveal challenges in remote and hybrid work, including potential disengagement and trust issues. The absence of a central workplace hub may contribute to feelings of isolation, particularly among younger associates who often derive relationship modeling from the workplace. The study advocates for a human-centric approach, emphasizing the enduring value of intentional team building, mentorship programs and fostering relational bonds. The research underscores the need for HR leaders to adapt strategies, ensuring positive workplace engagement, professional growth and overall well-being in the evolving work landscape.

Bryan Otte’s article brings originality through his role as Chief Human Resources Officer at MGAC, providing unique insights into challenges posed by remote and hybrid work. The practical strategies proposed, emphasizing a human-centric approach, offer innovative solutions to address issues such as disengagement and trust. The article’s value lies in shaping HR strategies for the evolving workforce, stressing the enduring importance of intentional team building and mentorship programs. Otte's blend of professional expertise and nuanced understanding contributes significantly, offering actionable guidance for HR leaders navigating the changing dynamics of work.

Motivated by the organizational challenge coined the great discontent, employees are dissatisfied with their jobs, see minimal opportunities for growth and are actively searching for new roles. This research aims to take a novel approach to internal communication strategy by introducing employability culture and leadership empowerment as mechanisms for supporting employees' career growth and additional positive workplace outcomes.

An online survey was designed and administered in the United States. The final sample size includes 425 full-time employees working in a variety of roles, industries and work arrangements.

Findings point to the inherent need for revised internal communication strategy that goes beyond managing and disseminating information. Organizations must develop cultures and their leaders in ways that empower employees and help them understand the meaning of their work. Employability culture, or an organization's support for developing employees' adaptive skills as work roles change, positively predicted employees' perceptions of their career growth opportunities at their current place of employment, employee loyalty and engagement, and job satisfaction. Leadership empowerment behaviors also positively predicted all previously listed workplace variables. These perceptions as influenced by work arrangement (onsite, hybrid, fully remote) and younger versus older generations were also analyzed.

Research findings offer new strategies for internal communications. Internal communication teams can partner alongside executive leadership to develop a culture that helps employees envision how their skills and expertise translates to different areas of the organization, empowering them to find meaning in their work, and be driven to support organizational growth.

The purpose of this study is to investigate existing and emerging technology-driven stressors using the transactional model of stress and coping (TMSC).

In-depth semi-structured interviews with 36 professionals were performed to obtain qualitative data to explore emerging techno-stressors. The findings were validated a year into the pandemic with human resource (HR) professionals.

The authors identify a previously unreported techno-stressor, Techno-Isolation (TIS), which arises from a heavy dependence on information communication technologies for professional social interactions. Additionally, several considerations of interaction characteristics are identified that, based on the platform used, affect the experience of TIS, further expanding the TMSC with the addition of medium-interaction compatibility. The authors present a testable model and discuss implications.

This study identifies three new information communication technology (ICT)-based antecedents leading to a new techno-stressor, as well as the importance of medium-interaction compatibility in the experiences of stressors as strains. The authors discuss how these elements fit with and extend the existing stress literature.

The purpose of this study was to examine whether remote work moderates the mediated relationship between leadership behavior (transformational leadership and leader incivility), followers' self-control, and work-life balance.

The authors conducted a three-wave, time lagged study of 338 followers. Drawing on social information processing theory, a moderated mediation model was proposed: it was hypothesized that remote work strengthens the relationship between leadership behavior (transformational leadership and leader incivility), follower self-control, and subsequent work-life balance (moderated mediation). The theoretical model was tested using OLS regression in SPSS.

The results show that working remotely strengthens the mediated relationships between leadership behavior, self-control, and work-life balance.

Organizations need to consider the interaction between remote work and leadership. Leader behaviors have a stronger relationship with follower self-control and work-life balance when the frequency of remote work is higher, so it is important to increase transformational leadership and reduce leader incivility in remote contexts. Leadership training programs and respectful workplace initiatives should be considered.

This study demonstrates the importance of leader behaviors for followers' self-control and work-life balance in relation to remote work. This study is the first to examine the boundary condition of remote work in relation to leadership behavior, follower self-control, and work-life balance.

Purpose: The study discusses various concepts for human resources (HR) executives for effective decision making in VUCA times, talent management, hybrid work business model, creativity and innovation in HR practices, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in HR practices, and flexibility in HR policies.

Need for the Study: The driving truth of this study is to approach a successful dynamic critical model for HR leaders in the IT Industry in Chennai city during VUCA times. Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity are the four main components of VUCA.

Methodology: The essential information was gathered with Google Structures, and testing methods were embraced to review the Snowball Examining Procedure. The 211 reactions were settled for the concentrate after deficient reactions. The auxiliary information was gathered from sources like Papers, Business Magazines, Industry Reports, Articles, and Reading material. The information was dissected with measurable programming SPSS 25 and AMOS 23. The validity check, t-test, correlation analysis, regression analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM) are the statistical methods used in the study.

Findings: The review results that the free factor is the ability of The board, Crossbreed Work Plan of action, Imagination and development in HR rehearses, Variety, Value and Consideration in HR practices, and adaptability in HR strategies altogether affect the reliant variable viable decision making during VUCA times.

Practical Implications: The study identifies hybrid work models and flexible HR policies as crucial parameters in VUCA times.

This study aims to explore the gender differences in working from home (WFH) experiences during the pandemic from the Australia’s construction workforce perspective. Specifically, it explores gender differences in terms of: (1) the respondents’ family responsibilities during the pandemic; (2) their WFH experiences prior to and during the pandemic; and (3) their perceptions of the impacts of challenges associated with WFH on their work activities and performance along with their self-reported work performance when WFH, overall satisfaction with WFH and preference for WFH post-COVID.

This study adopted a survey design to reach the targeted sample population, i.e. construction workforce in the Australian construction industry who has had experienced WFH during the pandemic. Data was collected using an online anonymous questionnaire survey.

The results show notable gender differences in various aspects including family responsibilities, workplace arrangements and perceptions of the impacts of the challenges associated with WFH on work activities and performance. Also, statistically significant associations are detected between gender and the respondents’ self-reported work performance when WFH, overall satisfaction with WFH and preference for WFH post-COVID.

Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, little is known about WFH experiences among construction workforce due to the low prevalence of regular and planned remote working in the industry. This is the first study sheds light on construction workforce WFH experiences using gender lenses. The findings have implications for construction-related firms continuing with WFH arrangement post the pandemic, which may include the formulation of policy responses to re-optimize their present WFH practices.

This strategic commentary aims to examine the benefits and drawbacks of rigid frameworks versus flexible approaches to measuring employee engagement, arguing for a hybrid model that incorporates the best of both to better correspond with organisational subtleties and strategic goals.

This study compares the standardised, benchmarking capabilities of inflexible frameworks such as Gallup’s Q12 to the adaptability and customisation potential of flexible approaches. It emphasises the creation and implementation of a hybrid methodology that preserves the integrity of engagement measurement while also incorporating organisational-specific insights.

Despite their different benefits, rigid frameworks may neglect distinct organisational cultures, whereas completely flexible techniques may suffer with measuring consistency. A hybrid model, which combines core standardised questions and unique items, provides a balanced solution for improving the relevance, actionability and reliability of engagement data across dynamic organisational landscapes.

The discussion culminates with the proposal of a hybrid measurement strategy as a strategic innovation in human resource management. By combining scientific rigour and contextual sensitivity, this model provides a nuanced roadmap for organisations looking to thoroughly understand and effectively negotiate the complexity of employee engagement in an evolving work environment.

This study aims to identify and review research articles to understand the conceptualization of employee engagement (EE) in a remote working environment. Specifically, the aim is to explore the antecedents impacting remote workers’ engagement.

A systematic literature review was conducted, encompassing empirical studies sourced from EBSCO, Emerald and Gale databases. Studies published in peer-reviewed journals between 2013 and 2023 covering countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) were included. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed to capture the review process.

A total of 25 empirical studies published across 18 journals were synthesized, with the results being reported in terms of three research objectives. The researchers identified that individual, organizational/job resources and organizational/job demands are the three main antecedents affecting EE in remote working environments.

This study can serve as an important source of information for academics and practitioners as well as postulate new avenues for the future research. While the Job Demands-Resources model remains relevant in specifying demands and resources as antecedents of workforce engagement, technological antecedents gain prominence as additional factors contribute to the engagement of remote workforce.

This article studies the shifting landscape of EE with the rise of remote working and the need to gain a better understanding of how to keep remote workers engaged.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant societal changes and altered how much of the construction industry operates. This study investigates the impacts of pandemic-related changes, how these changes may apply to different companies, and which changes should continue post-pandemic.

We aim to identify pandemic-driven changes that have affected the construction workplace and the advantages and challenges associated with them. We then make recommendations for what could and should endure through the pandemic and beyond, and under what circumstances. To achieve this objective, we conducted both qualitative and quantitative analyses of 40 semi-structured interviews with US-based construction professionals.

Identified through these interviews were 21 pandemic-driven changes across six categories: management and planning, technology, workforce, health and safety, supply chain, and contracts. This study noted both positive and negative impacts of the changes on cost, schedule, productivity, collaboration, employee retention, flexibility, quality, and risk mitigation. Participants indicated that some changes should remain after the pandemic and others (e.g. select safety measures, schedule adjustments) should be temporary.

By incorporating these lessons learned into recommendations, the findings of this study will help businesses identify and implement the most appropriate improvements for their organizations. The findings also provide policymakers with valuable insights on how to promote innovation in the construction industry and potentially enact more effective policies during crises to drive long-term improvements.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the distinction between human-delivered service and technology-based, automated customer assistance.

This is a conceptual paper. There is no methodology.

The concept of service is primarily delivered when a human helps another. When technology is infused into the process and becomes the major component of delivering the aid that is requested, the process is automated customer assistance. Thus, “self-service” is not service. It is automated customer assistance.

The definition of service is refined to describe the process of a human helping another person. When technology is used to provide the needed aid, it is no longer a service. Instead, it is automated customer assistance. The implication is that researchers should closely examine how users assess and perceive the two separate approaches to providing the needed aid.

The definition of service is refined to describe the process of a human helping another person. When technology is used to provide the needed aid, it is no longer a service. Instead, it is automated customer assistance. Researchers should closely examine how users assess and perceive the two separate approaches. Industry professionals should be mindful of the distinction between the delivery of service, which requires staff, and the provisioning of technology to provide assistance, which requires little to no staff. Intentionality should drive when customers are better helped by a human or by technology.

The value provided helps both providers create and users express when human-based service is needed versus assistance provided by technology.