The future of work is happening, all around you, right now. From the way we work, where we work, to your ultimate “why am I doing this?” work as we know it is changing. The casual observer may be hard-pressed to find smart buildings lining the sidewalks, or Google-esque workplaces in our own offices – however, we need to be cognizant that the initial stage of exponential growth is deceptive. This is the age of “accelerating disruptions”, in which the world around us is no longer transforming linearly, or predictably – but at an exponential rate of change. Think fast – real fast, surprisingly fast.
The bottom-line is this – action needs to be taken today to fully engage with the forces of change in the world of work. Those who don’t, will be left behind.
The future of work is everyone’s industry. Here are 4 ways to gauge where your business stands on the future timeline.
1.) Get Digital
Transforming business, as a whole, not just how we communicate. Becoming a digitally empowered business is a game-changing mindset that must be driven by leadership. Companies are now embracing emerging new cognitive and analytic capabilities – automating processes, measuring performance, accessing detailed data, and engaging better talent.
2.) Offer Flexibility
Flexibility is about productivity, work-life balance and growing with the times. Today’s workforce values flexibility that enable employees to work when – and where – they do their best. Certainly, there’s plenty of trust involved. But it can also give companies access to a talent pool that spans the globe – working from anywhere.
3.) Constant Contact
Connections will make or break your success. Whether your entire team works in the same office or are distributed across the country, engaging employees is critical. The digital workplace (think Slack, HipChat or Teams) makes a virtual space where connection and information is available on demand. For employees, this means access to the communication they need, why they need it, on whichever device they prefer to use.
4.) Structure Shake-up
Leadership will be the driving factor as your company looks to surge into the future of the workplace. Not only is the way we work getting disrupted, the actual jobs are too. The future timeline of work is shaking up the way companies manage teams and look at organizational structure. Understanding the types of roles you need to keep your team competitive and innovative in today’s landscape and the future landscape is critical.
Planning for the workplace of the future means striking the right balance between human needs and technology. As a role model with a pulse on the future, leaders will find success adapting to modern business if they are connected, collaborative and digital.
