Reflecting back on the past two years, it has been apparent that the pandemic forced many organizations to change, those who were flexible enough not only survived but thrived.
For example, shifting customer behaviour and supply chain disruptions compelled businesses to accelerate their digital transformation efforts and embrace new ways of working, forcing most organizations to think about the workplace of the future.
However, in some organizations, even before the advent of the pandemic, a forward-thinking mindset to establish the framework for a culture that promotes performance while putting its people at the center, has been the core focus.
One such firm is digital communication player Banglalink, which became one of the Top Five Employers of Choice in the country this year, as per the most recent Nielsen B-School Campus Track Survey conducted among the youth of Bangladesh.
“This success comes as a true reflection of our efforts to attract, nurture, and develop the top talents of the country,” Monzula Morshed, the chief human resource and administration officer at Banglalink told Dhaka Tribune.
“I believe, behind most market disruptions seen today, are organizations that are intrinsically agile. They are able to foresee consumers’ and people’s demands and can shift capacity and talent fluidly to achieve greater impact. Only companies that incorporate cultural norms and capabilities can hope to be successful in the workplace of the future,” the top brass further explained.
Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneFrom gyms to yoga classes, to break rooms and healthy catering, and daycare centers, Banglalink’s corporate office has got it all, with the organization paying more and more attention to the physical and mental well-being of their employees.
Morshed believes when people are engaged and are at their mental peak, bring their best selves to work, “which calls for a fundamental shift in the mindset of organizations to envision offices of the future,” she said.
In that regard, the firm considered a more agile approach to rebuilding an office that comprises three levels — large hubs, smaller offices, and community locations — that would give people the desired sense of connection and encourage them to build stronger bonds with their coworkers dispersed across cities and towns.
On top of that, while most people still think of the workplace as a physical, rigid space with repetitive activities, making them question the greater value of technology and their capabilities, at Banglalink, it is believed that people recognize the impact they're creating when they find purpose and fulfillment in their jobs.
The firm realized that such impact can be created anywhere, and not necessarily at the workplace, and as a result, focused on democratizing the workplace in a manner that empowered individuals to make their own decisions.
“To me, one of the greatest misconceptions that need to be dispelled today is the workplace’s association with the physical office. I am super excited to see the evolved, new-normal workplace of today like the one we have at Banglalink’s corporate office,” the Head of Corporate Communications and Sustainability of Banglalink Ankit Sureka said.
As per the top brass, the future of the workplace is going to be where work happens and it’s going to be on the terms and conditions of people who think “where can I really create the most impact?”
“I think it is largely because people feel empowered when their working conditions are flexible, allowing them to generate meaningful work, unrestricted by limits or locations,” Sureka further explained, citing it as one of the reasons for which the digital communications operator was able to become one of the top choices of the workplace to be.
On the other hand, the brand has put much effort into workplace flexibility, specifically on the issue of inclusivity with both male and female participation almost at all levels, as per the company.
Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneFurthermore, to survive in the competitive era of globalization as an organization, Banglalink also focused on creating innovative ways to ensure the effective use of leave policy.
According to the company, it is maintaining a sound leave policy ensuring employee satisfaction which includes flexibility in applying for casual leave, flexibility in probationary leave days as well as bridge holidays policy.
“We strongly believe that in order to be effective, people must feel appreciated. Creating a positively enabled workforce requires ensuring that people do not experience burnout, mental exhaustion, and depression. Fostering a culture that prioritizes mental health over business objectives should be ingrained in every company’s DNA,” Sureka said.
With the organization seeing people as more than “talent” and “resources,” and instead treating them as empowered individuals, they have managed to become one of the top choices as a workplace in the country.
After all, at the end of the day, the strength of a progressive firm lies in empowering individuals with the freedom to make choices about how they work flexibly and providing them with robust technology and tools.