How Trends of the Future are Reinventing Work Life
After the COVID-19 pandemic, much of what we know about work was reinvented – and for the better. The future of work-life looks even more promising, as the predictions about practices, working habits, and communication pave a futuristic way. While opinions do vary about upcoming massive changes in the workplace, it’s commonly agreed that we have once in a lifetime chance to reinvent the wheel.
More and more companies are factoring in the hybrid and remote work flexibility to increase the productivity of their employees. This is why, many businesses have not made it mandatory to return to onsite work, as it might result in losing talent. Moreover, in most cases, a human-centric work environment is established which doesn’t have defined lunch breaks or tea breaks. Instead, it’s modeled around productivity, flexibility, empathy, and inclusion.
The New Trends of Future of Work
There are some commonalities the forward-thinking companies share and are quick to make part of their organization. Here are some of those trends that have the potential to shape the workflow for the better:
Creating Transparency
The future of work is all about creating a healthy environment where employees can thrive, and what better way to do just that than by making transparency a part of the equation. Employers are looking into the possibility of open salaries, and constantly review if your employees are paid enough. Similarly, the gender pay gap is being shunned by introducing transparency in negotiating salaries.
Similarly, transparency in appraisals, benefits, and reviews is becoming a common practice. Employees now know exactly what they need to do in order to climb the corporate ladder, and transparency in operations has been a key tool in ensuring employee growth. Moreover, the workforce is more likely to communicate their progress and bottlenecks if a transparent culture is encouraged without any penalties.
Embracing Self-Managed Teams
Autonomy makes works a lot easier for employees and employers alike. Empowering employees can make work a lot easier, especially if they’ve proven themselves to be capable throughout projects. As a team leader, being able to make decisions and effectively putting your case forward to management makes work a lot easier than just merely receiving instructions. A significant part of job satisfaction has to do with competitive wages, a stable work environment, and autonomy.
A realistic objective is easier to achieve and is widely encouraged in most companies. Setting your targets in line with the key performance indicators assigned by management makes it easier for all parties involved to perform to their fullest without facing demotivation or humiliation. Self-managed teams tend to set their own pace.
Engage Employees Like Customers
Most employees are familiar with the concepts of the customer always being right, and prioritizing clients over everything. However, the future of work challenges that notion, instead, we focus on providing customized and personalized human experiences. There are to be enough initiatives to make employees feel like a part of the change. Technology can be used to factor in employee feedback as much as customer feedback, and create an inclusive environment for growth.
Many companies are adapting to creating relevant and engaging talent experiences and providing more flexibility. People that work hard need to be rewarded equally, and not just in the sense of monetary benefits.
Leading with Empathy
After the pandemic, the workforce structure has been changed drastically. Work is no longer about coming into a building, completing the assigned tasks, and heading back home. Instead, it is all about managing the workforce to execute results up to their potential and giving them the liberty to thrive in personal and professional life alike. The manager concept has shifted towards empathetic leaders, that keep the company culture alive and promote growth.
Community building and encouraging employees without micromanagement has become the new standard. As we rethink the characteristics of a good work leader, we side with those who motivate and understand the struggles, as well as guide their employees over those who strictly monitor and humiliate them.
Creating an Inclusive Workforce
Last, but not least, there is a new trend of working from anywhere. The hybrid or remote work model has become the new future of work, with more and more employees willing to opt for it to increase their work life balance and cut their costs. Employers can create a diversified and inclusive work pool that is output-oriented and innovative. Teams with ample resources can work effectively on-site and remotely, and new talent can be easily recruited without worrying about the capacity of precautionary measures.
Moreover, it stands to reason why a talent pool focused on providing results goes beyond the bounds of a physical location. Companies can recruit people from various locations, foster interconnectivity, and create an inclusive environment that leaves traditional boundaries behind and opens up the door to new opportunities. Flexibility is key to sustainability in the future of work, and adopting the new work balance practices will only be a matter of when.