Stephanie Merrifield: Q&A Blog

The future of work is evolving, and HR is at the forefront of navigating that change.

Ahead of our November HR Hub, we spoke with Stephanie Merrifield, Chief People Officer at AllPoints Fibre Networks, about what’s shaping the next phase of working life, and how organisations can strike the right balance between business goals and employee expectations.

In this exclusive Q&A, Steph explores the practical steps HR leaders can take to establish connections, enable collaboration, and offer choice in a way that strengthens culture, supports inclusion, and drives performance.

Q: Your upcoming HR Hub session is titled The Future of Work: Connection, Collaboration and Choice. What inspired you to focus on these three themes, and why do they feel especially relevant now?

A: The working environment continues to evolve, and we have HR needs to navigate this within our organisations. The hybrid/return to office debate continues, and as we see more organisations mandate some level of return, we need to balance this with the needs of our employees and to ensure that we remain attractive to future talent.

Q: Many organisations are still finding their balance between office, hybrid, and remote working. Based on your experience, what approaches have been most successful in maintaining connections and trust across dispersed teams?

A: Robust communication planning, team get-togethers, encouraging f2f collaboration, and office visits are meaningful to build relationships. Understand the needs of the business and the needs of the employees and seek feedback.

Q: You’ve led people strategies through significant change in fast-moving industries. How can leaders use technology to enhance collaboration without losing the human side of teamwork?

A: We need to choose tools that enhance our interactions. We use Teams, which is great for sharing information/updates, instant messaging, and regular weekly/monthly team meetings. However, when planning and holding strategy sessions, you can’t beat being in the room to generate energy and ideas. Also, in person is critical if the nature of the meeting is more sensitive.

As leaders, we need to decide what the right tool/environment is for what we want to achieve. Technology is great for reaching large audiences, celebrating success, and recognising employees, and we have found that setting up coffee chats and monthly quizzes really support building a community.

This all needs to be balanced with in-person events/team meetings, and we have found that a blend works best.

Q: Flexibility has become a defining feature of modern work, but it can mean different things to different people. What does meaningful choice look like in practice, and how can HR help organisations make it work for both employees and the business?

A: It’s key to understand the needs of both the business and employees. What is driving a particular perspective from leadership - is it cost, productivity, culture? What do employees value - flexibility, meaningful connection, work-life balance/blend?

Using data helps us make more informed decisions that can ensure that we meet the needs of all. How can we use data to challenge assumptions being made? What is talent attraction data and retention data telling us?

There is no one-size-fits-all all, so working with teams to co-design flexibility is the way forward, and providing the tools for employees to be successful wherever they are is key to this.

Q:  With AI, automation, and digital tools reshaping roles across sectors, what new skills or mindsets will HR and people leaders need to thrive in the future workplace?

A: Human-centered leadership will become even more key. Emotional intelligence and resilience will become key skills for HR & leaders, along with strong communication and focusing on team and workplace inclusion to build trust. There will likely be even more emphasis on creating a culture of belonging, engagement, and performance in an evolving environment. HR needs to be able to anticipate skill shifts and plan accordingly for them, working with the business.

Q: What steps can HR and leadership teams take to build cultures of inclusion, creativity, and accountability in a hybrid world?

A: HR and leadership teams play a pivotal role in shaping environments where people feel included, empowered to innovate, and accountable for results.

Organisations need to be intentional about their culture, clearly led by leadership, displaying the behaviours we want to see across the business.

The business needs to be clear on vision and values that can be anchored to by all employees, regardless of location - disseminated during team meetings, town halls, communications, and through platforms.

Through technology and consistent communication, we ensure the same access to opportunities, recognition, and information for remote and in-office employees and provide the right tools for teams to work together in a range of workplace situations.

Finally, people managers need to be trained in effectively managing hybrid teams – shifting to outcomes-based performance, how to communicate effectively, and create an inclusive environment in a hybrid environment, as well as having an awareness of proximity bias and the impact this may have.

Steph’s insights are a timely reminder that the future of work isn’t just about where people work, it’s about how we lead, communicate, and build cultures that bring out the best in everyone.

Join us on Thursday, 13th November, from 10:00–11:00 am on Zoom for the next Allen Associates HR Hub: The Future of Work: Connection, Collaboration, and Choice.

We’ll be joined by Stephanie Merrifield, who will expand on these themes and share practical, people-first strategies that HR teams can implement right away.

Register here.