HSM Advisory and Fujitsu Highlight Paradigm Shift in the Ways We Work in Global Research on Hybrid Work

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HSM Advisory and Fujitsu Limited have published a joint research report on the current state and future of hybrid work, which sits at the convergence of the digital and real-world. The report introduces Fujitsu and HSM Advisory's Sustainable High Performance Model that highlights key success factors for hybrid work initiatives, offering a framework to enhance employee productivity, promote creativity, and deliver better customer experiences. In this joint report, HSM Advisory and Fujitsu introduce strategies for realizing effective hybrid working derived from the experiences and lessons learned during the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, which redefined the ways in which organizations work. The report concludes that holistic approach encompassing purpose, culture, management, autonomy, performance, and innovation proves essential to embedding effective hybrid working practices.

Lynda Gratton, Professor of Management Practice at London Business School and founder of HSM Advisory comments "We are pleased to be working with our partner Fujitsu to conduct this very important study. Through a series of interviews and focus group sessions conducted as input to this report, we gained new insights into how companies and managers are responding to the shift to hybrid work."

Hiroki Hiramatsu, CHRO at Fujitsu Limited comments, "With our successful 'Work Life Shift' initiative, Fujitsu has demonstrated its global leadership in the development and execution of new work styles that empower employees to realize their purpose, as well as the company's. As we strive to make hybrid working a reality, we remain focused on building autonomy and mutual trust between employees and the company. This report reflects our hope that the efforts of Fujitsu and HSM Advisory will contribute to the wellbeing and creativity of organizations and serve as a model for other organizations exploring new ways of working."

Moving forward, HSM Advisory and Fujitsu will continue to research, demonstrate, and implement hybrid working models that improve employee wellbeing and bring together diverse talent to drive innovation in the workplace and beyond.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has served as a catalyst for change, challenging our most basic assumptions about how, when, and where we work. In response, many organizations have shifted to hybrid working, as employees grapple with the challenges of collaborating effectively across differences in both time and place. At the same time, with many employees enjoying greater autonomy, some organizations have leveraged the freedoms and flexibility offered by hybrid working models as a way to stand out amidst an increasingly competitive global labor market.

Designing new ways of working that drive both performance and wellbeing now represents a key concern for organizations looking to attract and retain top talent.

Survey Report Summary

HSM Advisory and Fujitsu began a joint study in August 2021 to gain better insight into these themes. In this joint study, Fujitsu and HSM Advisory surveyed how leaders, employees, and organizations are responding to the challenges and opportunities of hybrid work. Adopting a cross-organizational, global approach, we have developed a Sustainable High Performance model to support organizations in the redesign of work.

Through this research, we hope to share best practice and insights into redesigning work.

The research, undertaken in partnership with HSM Advisory from August to November 2021, consisted of interviews with 9 Fujitsu Leaders and 46 Fujitsu employees, and 4 Fujitsu Client leaders. This was followed by a survey, shared broadly through Fujitsu and HSM networks, which gathered data about the experiences of an additional 200 people. Further insights were derived from 8 leaders from HSM advisory partnerships.