The Shape of Work

#104: Susan Lang on leveraging Remote and culture as key differentiators to attract, recruit and retain talent

September 02, 2021 Springworks Season 1 Episode 104
The Shape of Work
#104: Susan Lang on leveraging Remote and culture as key differentiators to attract, recruit and retain talent
Show Notes Chapter Markers

‘Companies don’t know how to manage people who are remote because they don't know how to manage people that are actually onsite either.’

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Susan L. Lang, CEO of XIL Health - a health technology company building complex predictive analytics platforms to reduce the cost of drugs.

Having been a part of the healthcare industry for over three decades, Susan has advised top pharmacy executives and digital healthcare startups while working as the C-suite Executive at Express Scripts and Chief Strategy Officer of Blink Health.

With a background that extensive, it’s no surprise this episode covers a lot of ground.

We discuss with Susan:

  • Hiring virtually, beyond geographies: the new normal
  • The structure and lines of communication at XIL Health
  • Great resignation hits IT departments: why companies need to switch strategies and run 'The Great Experiment'
  • Tech talent retention strategies: profit sharing, retention bonus, ESOPs and more

Managing People in the Workplace of the Future

Apprehension among firms, about remote work, arises from their inability to manage people well even when they are on-site. Being goal-driven is key to good management. Instead, firms build layer upon layer of control. Managers need to be familiar with the work of each employee and the impact their employees' work has on the organization. 

This is possible only if the firm has a well-defined business model. Most firms do not have a business model, and their work cultures tend to be personality-driven (the CEO's or the CHRO's). The absence of a business model and a lack of congruence between the personal values of the senior leaders and the employees cause friction at work. This friction can get exacerbated in the remote/hybrid workplace.

Making Remote Work Effective

The availability of capital increased startup activity, and the limited pool of good tech talent has led to a rise in salaries. This causes an exodus of talent from the relatively poorly funded firms. The leaders of these firms are, therefore, too caught up with managing attrition to be able to pay attention to culture and engagement — further worsening attrition. 

Susan says that she hires people when they are young and finds out what they are comfortable and not comfortable doing. XIL Health then tasks these employees with jobs that they are not comfortable doing. This challenges them and helps them learn how to manage and work around challenges to get to the goal. This is an excellent strategy to groom better executives for the firm in the long run. The nature of the task that employees get to work on is a huge determinant of their effectiveness.

Shaping Company Culture

Susan believes that high-growth companies need to align their work cultures with the needs of the employees. Employees at tech companies are engaged in complex tasks, and therefore the work needs to be integrated with their lives. The workplace policies should provide flexibility, enable employees to take care of their families, and allow enough time off for them to de-stress. The work should be designed to not "burn through" the employees. 

Follow Susan on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

BONUS: Interested to know more about advanced recruitment? Get the answers to all your questions in our recent article: The role of data and tech advancements in ensuring hiring success.

Hiring virtually, beyond geographies: the new normal
Great resignation hits IT departments: why companies need to switch strategies and run 'The Great Experiment'
Tech talent retention strategies: profit sharing, retention bonus, ESOPs and more
The structure and lines of communication at XIL Health