Schneider Electric's Chief Human Resources Officer Charise Le shares how the company's culture of trust and agility showed resilience that led to a refresh of the flexibility at work policy.
"Without a doubt, the pandemic has shifted our lives and our work. At Schneider Electric, we learned a lot during the past months, as we quickly shifted our ways of working to protect the health and safety of our people and ensure business continuity," she comments.
Responding to employees' requests for flexibility
Charise believes that Schneider Electric's culture of trust and agility showed strength and resilience during a time of crisis. And the world entered a “new normal”, the company wanted to ensure its employees were enabled and empowered to perform at their best and manage their unique lives and work.
When 83% of Schneider Electric employees shared they want more flexibility, Charise reports on how the company refreshed its Flexibility at Work policy, introducing a new global standard that introduces the hybrid work model (a mix of working from home and working from office) across the company. This enables Schneider Electric employees who can perform their roles remotely to work from home two days a week.
"Hybrid work is part of New Ways of Working – our philosophy on the future of work for individuals and teams. New Ways of Working assumes flexibility as a given and is based on trust, empowerment, and a culture that focuses on behaviors and results," says Charise.
"All these changes will lead to a more trusting company with stronger work performance, greater well-being and a greener footprint overall."
Schneider Electric's strong culture brings employees together
During all these changes, Charise reflects on her own journey over the past year.
For her, starting a new role amid a pandemic was very tough. However, she has learned a lot as she has had to move quickly and make decisions to help employees, customers and the Schneider Electric.
"There was and still is a lot to get used to during this challenging transition, but I firmly believe that having the flexibility and empowerment to navigate these transitions in a way that makes sense for an employee’s unique life will be monumental in transformation," Charise adds.
"And as we’re slowly wrapping up this challenging year, one thing is certain: there is no going back to the way we used to work. If I learned one thing in 2020, it’s that our strong culture, led by our Core Values and Leadership Expectations, brings us together and sees us through trying times."
"Now it is up to us to lead with trust and empower our people to do the right thing."
Thrive in a strong and supportive workplace culture
Employees at Schneider Electric enjoy a culture that gives them the support and flexibility to thrive.
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