07th March 2022
Meet the judges 2022 – Eduvie Martin
IW: Today, we’re delighted to be joined by one of our 2022 EMEA judges for the Inspiring Workplaces Awards. Welcome Eduvie Martin.
Firstly, we wanted to ask you all, what does an Inspiring Workplace mean to you?
EM: Early on in my career, my idea of an inspiring workplace was centred on the office building. It had to be visually appealing both on the outside and on the inside with fun spaces, vibrant colours, art of its people, corporate history and projects fully displayed on walls, greenery, a gym, a pool, a well-equipped kitchenette, a canteen, and of course a beautiful view.
With the evolution of the workplace as we know it, I am now more inclined to see an inspiring workplace as one with a clear purpose, a diverse workforce, sustainability practices and a regard for wellbeing at its core. One that evolves at pace with external realities.
Everything else is an add on.
IW: You’re a judge for the EMEA/ North American Inspiring Workplaces Awards. What do you hope to see in the entries?
EM: I am hoping to see entries that show a clear demonstration of how they are implementing strategies aligned with the evolution of the workplace; those that are mirroring our current reality in the creation or enhancement of workplaces. Entries demonstrating flexible working, engaged employees, commitment to ESG with clear, measurable impact.
IW: What’s the best advice you were ever given? Who was it from?
EM: It’s hard to choose the best advice I’ve been given. There’s a saying that has stuck with me since the start of the pandemic though which is – “If you don’t like something, change it, if you can’t change it, change your attitude” – Maya Angelou.
IW: What’s your advice on how best to engage remote teams?
EM: It’s easy to get stuck in the tools to use to engage remote teams but before you step into the rabbit hole of which tools when, start with the content. Think of it as – what message do I want to get across and how will I do this if I was speaking to someone face to face? Once you’ve cracked this, find the tools that can help you execute.
IW: Following on from that question, how do you build a strong inclusive culture with a hybrid workforce?
EM:
- Don’t forget about them. I often hear that odd example of a hybrid session where those listening in are only acknowledged at the start of the event but are left out of the conversation or everyone goes out and forgets some can’t make it. We will all get better with this, with time. First thing to remember is not to forget.
- Listen to your hybrid workforce and hear directly from them on what’s important to them, build this into your plans to keep them engaged.
- Plan for hybrid always.
IW: Focusing on employee emotional wellbeing, how do we help employees create boundaries between work and home life?
EM: I have an unpopular opinion about this question. As employees, I think we owe it to ourselves to set those boundaries. We are responsible for our time. We should block out time in our diaries for the things we need to get done. There will be exceptions when we don’t have the right balance and I’ve come to embrace the fact that to succeed in a FTSE 100 organisation, what we need to build is resilience plus an ability to prioritise and delegate. I’ve seen organisations put policies in place but at the end of the day it comes back to us as employees to set those boundaries or find alternative workplaces that give us more time to do the things we love as our priorities shift.
IW: 4-Day week – Yes or No? You can give reasons for your answer to if you wish.
EM: Yes! Any option that gives us the flexibility to work from the office and another space will increase productivity.
IW: We are a big believer that fostering psychological safety is an organisational imperative. Do you agree and if so, why?
EM: Absolutely! You want people to tell you what they think and feel safe and confident that you’ll work on it as an organisation. If anything, it’s better than the bad reputation you’ll get when they talk about you to their friends, reduces cost and increases staff retention.
IW: Hopefully, we are seeing the restrictions of the pandemic diminish. This has led to what some are calling ‘The Great Resignation, what do employers need to do to ensure they attract and retain the best people?
EM: Listen! Work as we know it has evolved and organisations need to be sensitive to this, evolve with this and mirror this reality. You’ll attract and retain the best people when you listen, regroup, and implement changes for the workforce of today.
IW: To say we’ve seen a lot of change in the past two years would be an understatement. We want you to get your crystal ball out and predict what will be the top priorities for people choosing an employer over the next 5 years?
EM: I think the top priorities over the next 5 years for people choosing an employer will be a profitable company with sustainability at its core, with a clear purpose for the common good, with a hybrid model of working, that blurs the office and work life by offering services like on site gyms, day care, salons etc and with an open mindset to the embracing trends.