{"id":601144,"date":"2021-12-20T10:22:46","date_gmt":"2021-12-20T09:22:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/?p=601144"},"modified":"2022-05-23T11:16:50","modified_gmt":"2022-05-23T10:16:50","slug":"fa2-novo-nordisk-everyone-has-the-right-to-flexibility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pulse.microsoft.com\/da-dk\/work-productivity-da-dk\/manufacturing-da-dk\/fa2-novo-nordisk-everyone-has-the-right-to-flexibility\/","title":{"rendered":"Monique Carter: Everyone has the right to flexibility"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hybrid Talk<\/em><\/strong> is an article series hosted by Microsoft Denmark. We have invited thought leaders, companies, and organizations to share their views on the modern way of working and how technology supports the hybrid model. Is the new normal here to stay or does it even make sense to talk about normality in a world changing faster than ever? We will explore this and a whole lot more in this series.<\/p>\n

Still curious? Learn more and be inspired at our site dedicated to exploring hybrid work here.<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Novo Nordisk: Everyone has the right to flexibility<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Monique Carter, EVP People & Organization at Novo Nordisk, knows hybrid work. She oversees HR in the world\u2019s 6th<\/sup> largest pharma company and commutes between the UK and the Bagsv\u00e6rd HQ of Novo Nordisk on a weekly basis. For her, the employees at Novo, and even the top management, the shift to hybrid work has been a tremendous game changer. \u201cPrior to Covid-19, Novo wasn\u2019t an organization embracing flexibility. We have a history of being very disciplined and financially responsible in a structured way \u2013 one that required in-person attendance. We simply questioned whether people could be as productive working from another location than the office,\u201d Monique opens the interview. \u201cCovid-19 was indeed a sense check on that!\u201d<\/p>\n

She and Novo Nordisk weren\u2019t the only ones caught off guard by a world shutting down from one day to the next. But now, the interesting thing is how to move along. How do companies such as Novo Nordisk and Microsoft create a new working environment aligned with employee expectations, the ability to attract and retain talent \u2013 one that keeps innovating and developing at a pace that\u2019s increasing every day?<\/p>\n

\"WomanIf you ask our employees, they will say that we are much more open to the notion of flexibility now. The most important thing is that we do our jobs. If you do that the best while working flexibly \u2013 both in time and place \u2013 we\u2019re all for it.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

– Monique Carter, EVP People & Organization at Novo Nordisk<\/p>\n

If it doesn\u2019t work for Dolly Parton<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Tanya Helene Christensen, Business Group lead for Modern Work & Security at Microsoft Denmark, is in touch with several companies struggling to find a hybrid balance. \u201cModern work is all about how to become more productive. But not like in the old days. Dolly Parton wasn\u2019t pleased with 9-5 and neither are most of the employees who have now experienced what flexible working hours and places do in terms of creating a life in balance,\u201d she says. \u201cWe need to keep in mind that a flexible working environment isn\u2019t happening overnight. Management needs to make some tough decisions and set the guidelines for what hybrid looks like in their organization. Otherwise, it\u2019s up to middle managers alone to interpret and navigate in this new situation \u2013 and that\u2019s not their responsibility. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Monique Carter agrees: \u201cAt Novo Nordisk, we have established flexible working beliefs. We are a company that believes our culture is special and important. If you are working 100% remotely, you will never touch neither the culture nor the history, and it becomes much more difficult to be part of the organization,\u201d Monique says before adding: \u201cbut that doesn\u2019t mean that all work must be in-person. If you ask our employees, they will say that we are much more open to the notion of flexibility now. The most important thing is that we do our jobs. If you do that the best while working flexibly \u2013 both in time and place \u2013 we\u2019re all for it.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"WomanIt\u2019s not just a classic technology discussion about what kind of tools you need to refurbish meeting rooms.\u00a0 It\u2019s about how technology can support desired behavior and enhance inclusion and flexibility<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

– Tanya Helene Christensen, Business Group lead for Modern Work & Security at Microsoft Denmark<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not only a classic technology discussion<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Tanya Christensen and Monique Carter both agree that creating the right company culture followed by guidelines that nudge employees into a healthier behavior is crucial \u2013 but how do you know whether employees are thriving and if they have enough contact with their team and customers when the workforce is dispersed? \u201cYou can\u2019t just offer employees a flexible working environment without also providing the tools for them to actually collaborate and innovate,\u201d Tanya states. \u201cYou need tools that can grow along with the hybrid ambitions and that fit both a common goal of a shared platform to work from as well as individual needs.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not just a classic technology discussion about what kind of tools you need to refurbish meeting rooms.\u00a0 It\u2019s about how technology can support desired behavior and enhance inclusion and flexibility,\u201d Tanya says.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Concretely, Tanya talks about how to use technology to nudge employees into remembering their breaks or to ensure that people don\u2019t forget certain tasks, for example with a daily e-mail including a checklist of today\u2019s meetings and a quick reminder to read \u2018the attached documents\u2019. Or by ensuring that Teams has generated a transcript of your meeting available once the meeting is over, so you can quickly begin working on your actions.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hybrid is good for business<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cWe have <\/span>learned<\/span> that hybrid is working.<\/span> That it\u2019s good for business. <\/span>And t<\/span>his enhances our appetite <\/span>for<\/span> exploring hybrid work <\/span>even <\/span>further<\/span>,<\/span>\u201d Monique<\/span> Carter<\/span> concludes. \u201cNovo Nordisk is changing. We have a growth strategy; we\u2019re doing new things now<\/span>,<\/span> and we have realized that the recipe that has been successful so far might not be <\/span>the one to take<\/span> us to the next level<\/span>.<\/span>\u201d Tanya supports the notion of a new recipe for future work. In her opinion<\/span>,<\/span> this includes enabling organizations to leverage the power of data and having the right tools<\/span> to access data. However, according to Tanya, technology alone won\u2019t do<\/span>: <\/span>\u201c<\/span>T<\/span>echnology should empower us to work from <\/span>anywhere<\/span>, but if the culture doesn\u2019t support it<\/span>,<\/span> or managers and middle managers can\u2019t navigate the complexity, the technology doesn<\/span>\u2019t<\/span> matter<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Novo Nordisk Hybrid principles<\/h2>\n