The Future of Work is More Than Just Working From Home
I was reminded recently that a crisis does not necessarily create new trends, but it does accelerate ones that were already in motion. Recent events with COVID has forced the entire planet to transform overnight and accelerate many trends that were already starting to form. One of the most significant transformations has been in how we work.
Large corporate offices, collaborative coworking areas, and in-person brainstorming sessions have been abandoned. They have been replaced with Zoom meetings and work from home arrangements. Fortunately, the infrastructure for many of these changes was already in place. The future of work was already forming and the pandemic accelerated adoption.
As we look to the future one thing is certain – the economy will continue and we will adapt to the new surroundings. Impacts to businesses are becoming clear and leaders are starting to identify initiatives to ensure profitability. Regardless of the industry, it is obvious that the future of work is more than just having people work from home and collaborating online. Since it is obvious that change is inevitable, let’s explore a few trends to keep you ahead of the curve during this transition.
The future is a remote hybrid – COVID has taught us many things, most significantly is that we can be effective working from home. People can still collaborate, execute tasks, and achieve their goals via a virtual framework. Companies can save significant amounts by not investing in large office environments. Although it is entirely possible to continue this trend, we need to remember that humans are social animals. We crave interaction and find comfort in seeing out colleges on a consistent basis. The future is a hybrid model that combine the best of all approached. Companies can shed some level of office space and people will work in a flexible environment – all intersecting at a balance of social, financial, and emotional wellbeing.
Performance management will become a primary initiative – With more people working from home, management will become increasingly more difficult. Managers will no longer be able to walk around, talk with the team, and assess effectiveness. Performance management will transform, and new ways will be implemented to ensure that teams are driving toward a common objective. Balanced scorecards, KPIs, and agile project techniques will be adopted, and contributors will be focused on outcomes more than ever before.
Design Thinking and agile management will take center stage – One thing that COVID has shown us is that everything can change at a moments notice. Businesses will need to create a culture of change and continuous improvement. Employee and customer experience will take center stage as that will become the primary differentiator for many. Design Thinking is a mindset that embraces user feedback, continuous change, and the making of a number of small bets to improve a business or process. It is used by some of the most innovative organizations including Google, Uber, and Apple – companies that have a reputation for weathering morphing economies.
Change management and internal communications will become critical – As more people work from home and become more focused on outcomes, enacting the old school watercooler will become less of a way to enact change. Modifications in people, process, and technology will need to be deliberately implemented. Change management professionals will be key to growing and scaling an organization. Internal communications will be extremely important in creating culture, implementing change, and ensuring consistency in delivery. Change can be difficult in an in-person environment, being more virtual adds additional obstacles to the mission.
The future of work will be extraordinary. At Stonehill we understand these challenges and help our clients navigate people and process to create sustainable success. If you would like more information on how Stonehill can help you adopt design thinking and prepare for the future of work contact us at 813.444.1984 or email at info@stonehillinnovaiton.com