Like most companies, Karnov Group followed the performance of the company closely during the beginning of the pandemic, and tried to foresee, how working remotely would impact targets, deadlines, customer relationships and internal communication. But even if this was unknown territory to employees as well as management, things went surprisingly smooth.
“During the last 18 months, we have learned a lot about our employees, how individual it is what motivates us and that the recipe for efficiency vary from person to person” tells Charlotte Arup, Chief Human Resources Officer at Karnov Group AB
Based on these learnings, employees at Karnov Group are welcomed back after summer vacation by a new pilot project, a hybrid work solution. The new solution offers employees to have two “fixed” days at the office, and three flexible days choosing working remote or at the office, depending on one’s individual needs.
“Together with the rest of the management group, I decided to ask the employees how they would prefer their workday to be after the pandemic. We distributed a questionnaire where we asked how we could secure the collegial community, and still offer the opportunity to working remote” shares Charlotte Arup.
The results of the questionnaire formed the basic of the new pilot project, which was kicked off by the end of the summer and will be running until it is evaluated at the end of the year.
Three days of the week, Karnov’s employees have flexible days, meaning that they can work how it fits them the best – remotely or at the office. One day per week there will be a fixed office day, where everyone is at the office, eating lunch together, having meetings cross departments and where all social activities can take place.
The last day will be a team day. Each team decides which day suits them best and plan all team activities to take place this day.
“We have tried to meet as many wishes as possible, both from those who thrive in the office with colleagues around them, and those who prefer working remotely. Are we sure this will be the solution for the future? No, that is what development is about. We learn, we adjust, we learn, and we adjust. And we do it together”.
Even though Karnov Group pilots the new hybrid workday, there haven’t been cut down on working space. In fact, Karnov Group have invested in additional 500 square meters, to ensure space for the employees as well as room for acquired legal tech start-ups.
Facts:
More than 280 employees from Norstedts Juridik in Sweden and Karnov Group in Denmark were asked how they would prefer working when reopening the offices after COVID-19.
98% of the employees responded on the questionnaire.
Most of the employees wished to continue working from home 2-3 days a week.
Based on the employees expressing the importance of meeting colleagues physically, Karnov Group AB decided to introduce one fixed office day, where everyone joins the office.