How to Prepare Your Organization for the Future of Work
Positive Future Vision
We all know how the Covid-19 pandemic restrictive measures changed the perspective of work and the workplace organization. Two years later, business leaders and employees are trying to assess how this significant shift has changed them, figure out what the future holds, and learn about the three significant changes that impact the business world.
3 Things that the Business World Learned in the Covid Era
First, employees who have experienced the benefits of remote work start to question their purpose, redefining life priorities and goals. They want to work in flexible environments that allow them to grow personally and professionally, acknowledging their achievements.
While employees are looking inward questioning their life and values, employees started focusing outwards, trying to grasp how the employees’ needs have changed together with the job market, trying to adapt quickly and attract and retain top talent.
One thing is certain. Those employees and business leaders who adapted effectively to the changed perspective of a workplace and business, in general, became role models for the unpredictable future of work.
If you want to join this club for the future of work, keep reading. Here you’ll find what you need to do to create work environments that will meet changed employees’ needs, ensuring a bright future for your business.
What Changed Employees’ Focus
A shift to remote work that started as a forced temporary solution has proven to be beneficial for employees for numerous reasons. Many employees enjoyed the fact that they don’t need to commute to work, dedicating this spare time to their friends and family.
Furthermore, they also realized that they gained valuable skills, learning how to use collaborative tools like project management and communication platforms or software for employee monitoring to become more productive, time-efficient, and connected to their colleagues.
For all these reasons remote work has become a preferred model of many, who often state that they won’t return to the office any time soon. The numbers show that 34% of employees say they would leave current positions if not offered flexible work opportunities, and that 77% of candidates put this condition at the top of their list when choosing employers.
Faced with these facts you need to figure out quickly what you need to change in your organization to meet the growing flexible work demands effectively and beat your competitors in attracting and retaining top performers.
Leads to Follow to Get Ready for What Future Holds
Organizations that have recognized the moment to change their traditional practices and meet the employees’ growing needs for enhanced work flexibility and autonomy have made significant steps toward the future of work by implementing new practices.
Here are several examples you can use to create more attractive workplace environments for your employees.
- Several companies like Hutch and Yo Telecom have started working 4 days a week for a 6-month trial period. This experiment is supervised by academics from Oxford and Cambridge universities.
- Deloitte encourages its workers to choose where and how they want to work. According to one of the managers, employees can decide when and how to work to fulfill their potential and balance out their professional and private life.
- One insurance company that provides services for people over 50 started offering one-week paid leaves to employees for the birth of a grandchild.
Prepare Your Organization for the Future of Work
These are only a few of the successful examples of embracing new trends and enriching the list of benefits to successfully meet employees’ new demands. If you’re still on the fence when it comes to embracing more flexible work models because you fear that employee productivity may drop, think twice.
With the help of already mentioned advanced digital solutions, you can create thriving work environments wherever your employees may be. Start by listening carefully to your employees’ suggestions, accepting their need for changes, and assessing the impact of digital transformation on business.