Master Series Lecture: Dr Catherine McCauley-Smith 'Remote & Hybrid working principles'
Channel: Prague City University
Date: 12/05/2021

Dr Catherine McCauley-Smith from Teesside University International Business School, a specialist in designing and delivering leadership and change development tools, presents new work practices developed by The Centre of SME Development and the Institute for Research into Organisations, Work and Employment at the University of Central Lancashire.

These institutions worked with regional partners across Northern regions of the United Kingdom to provide small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) with a set of principles to support remote and hybrid working. These principles are underpinned with rigorous research carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic, sense checked with the SME community and developed in dialogue with business and business support organisations.

The six principles that were developed aim to support businesses in managing remote or hybrid workers and focus on flexibility, skills, development and training, employees voice, social relationships, digital presenteeism and physical and mental health and wellbeing.

Businesses embracing these principles have all reported higher levels employee satisfaction as opposed to those only implementing one or two. They work together holistically and are designed to support the resilience and productivity of SMEs across sectors.