The Future of Work - Navigating Some Semblance Of New Normal
As a futurist and someone invested in advising on foresight, trends and strategy, the question I'm often asked is whether we have settled into a new normal since the pandemic.
With each passing month, my optimism grows - the world seems to be stabilising into a state that might be as ‘normal’ as it will get, post-2019. But this comes with a significant caveat—a facet of life that's still evolving, being the future of work.
More specifically, I think this means truly working out what hybrid really means in practice and more so, what is the office really for?
The journey to any sort of conclusive understanding of this future is intricate and layered, reflecting broader societal shifts.
We need to grapple with fundamental questions about work such as why we work, how should we work and critically where. Workplace dynamics have changed since the pandemic, arguably forever. They are being redefined as we speak.
This topic is delicate, often sparking heated debates as it touches upon the clash between entrenched legacy systems and emerging forward-thinking philosophies.
What's at stake is not just a matter of logistics, but also deep pondering on the whole gamut of the purpose of work itself.
We are currently re-evaluating and working through (pardon the pun) a lot of various issues when it comes to the future of work - productivity, gender equality, the function of physical offices, leadership roles, achieving work-life balance, the idea of work-life integration, urban planning - the revitalisation of our city centres and transport and our carbon footprints, repurposing vacant commercial properties, optimal office attendance, the actual nature of on-premise workplace activities, what collaboration actual means, diversity equity and inclusion, governance and social responsibility expected of organisations, how technology such as AI is redefining our work, and the training, support and mentoring of newcomers to the workforce.
Amongst all this, leadership as well as management is difficult post pandemic.
Trying to please, accommodate everyone is a herculean effort. Profit, productivity and purpose are indeed hard things to reconcile together in light of the above.
A straightforward solution may seem to mandate a return to pre-pandemic work arrangements. However, such attempts have not been successful.
The pandemic has crystallised strong opinions on work and life, and people are prepared to stand by and act upon these views more strongly than ever.
Taking this all into account, I am not sure that during times where we have a talent shortage, mismatched immigration, an ageing population (and one that is retiring sooner and sooner) as well as Millennial and Gen Z digitally native generations, that this is a clever nor even viable medium to long term strategy.
Let us start however with the simple stuff.
There's a strong and logical argument to be made for those whose roles are inherently autonomous, especially if they've maintained productivity while working remotely and can manage the challenges of social isolation, then why not let them continue to work completely remotely if they choose to? If the work is completed successfully, profits are made, and client satisfaction remains high—all of which are quantifiable—does the location of the work really matter?
The answer is probably no. Just let them work as they have been.
Conversely, for roles that necessitate a natural physical presence, the expectation is clear - presence at the workplace is non-negotiable. This type of job role is such that you cannot work in any other manner than face to face. So be it. That is simple as well.
The real complexity lies in roles that straddle the above lines— those capable of being performed both remotely and/ or on-site – with value being seen either way of mode.
It is here that leaders, managers, and employees need to engage in meaningful dialogue. Lots of it I think.
Managers must and need to continue to appreciate the efforts of their employees made during the most challenging times during lockdowns, how they coped through those times and understand their unique circumstances post pandemic. In turn, employees need to recognise management’s legitimate reasons for re-establishing a workplace presence and that it is one that includes future profitability and purpose of the business of the organisation per se.
Amongst all of this I am still a fan of work / life integration, albeit it requires ongoing effort in the form of communication, negotiation, trial and error and accommodation by all parties involved, a high level of trust and loads of goodwill.
As we continue to traverse this terrain, it is vital that each organisation crafts a tailored approach to deal with individual employees, one that respects the diverse needs of their workforce while still upholding the company’s core objectives.
Talk to your people, keep talking to your people, listen to them, tell them your story, listen to theirs, strive for mutual empathy, try, and understand each other as much as you can, accommodate as much as you can, give away the easy stuff in terms of concessions and keep the communication ongoing is my overall advice.
Eventually, even the future of work will find its new normal!
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