The Future of Work: Embracing Flexibility and Innovation
Embracing remote collaboration for the future of work fosters flexibility and innovation.
Work has changed a lot over the last few years. It used to be that the default was that you worked 9 to 5 in an office in the middle of a city, or possibly 8 to 4, or 8 to 5 with an hour for lunch. People in other industries might work different hours, but if you worked in a normal office, with the evolution of work practices like remote work, flexible schedules, and productivity innovations, the future of work has become increasingly relevant.
The COVID-19 pandemic shook our lives, especially how, when, and where we work, as new technologies were already changing things.
Attitudes about productivity and how it works are also starting to shift. The future of work is about flexibility and innovation. Some HR consulting trends are evident currently and may persist or alter.
Remote Work
During the pandemic, many employees and employers alike came to realize that certain jobs did not require a physical office space. People sheltered in place hunkered down and cobbled together home offices.
Some employers promised the new way of working would become permanent. Unfortunately, not all of them kept those promises. More employees are opting for remote work, particularly those caring for family members or facing housing affordability challenges in their company's location. Flexible work practices allow, for example, for one parent to work late and take the kids to school and the other to start their shift early to be there when they come back.
A subset of managers and employers remain firmly opposed to remote work for different reasons. But more are realizing that remote work allows them to lease a smaller office space and use it more creatively, hire from a much larger candidate pool, and improve employee wellness and work-life balance. Remote workers in hybrid offices are less likely to receive promotions.
Remote work peaked during the pandemic and has declined, but it may increase—especially as companies look at the lease renewal on their office space. Companies that don't allow remote work will eventually experience a talent drain (and the trend of putting "remote" in the title of a job ad and it turning out to be hybrid is one of the biggest annoyances for employees).
A smart AI technology system handles human resource management for the future of work.
The Four-Day Work Week
There are two "kinds" of four-day work week. The first is where employees still work forty hours but work ten hours a day, four days a week. The latter is a reduction in overall hours with the hope that this will increase the productive use of those who remain. Four-day work weeks remain a tiny niche, but the number of job posts advertising them has tripled in the last few years.
It's more common in industries that require in-person work. One study in the U.K. showed that the four-day workweek reduced the number of paid sick leave days by 66%—likely because people were using their day off for appointments rather than taking time.
Extended shifts show fatigue and a lack of productivity. However, there is growing evidence that reducing hours does not reduce productivity. Longer work hours cause people to slow down, increase errors and injuries, and diminish engagement.
Reduced hours, however, only work well if employees get help being more productive, including training and productivity coaching and reducing administrative burdens. Automation is key to removing tedious tasks. But done right, companies can have people do the same work in fewer hours and have more time with their families.
Automation
There's been a lot of talk lately about AI "taking people's jobs." Concerns about a specific type of AI impacting income in certain sectors have been diminishing as the hype wears off.
However, automation is already central to many people's jobs and is only going to increase over time. HR people are already familiar with tools that automate much of payroll processing, reducing errors and freeing up humans to do more interesting stuff. HR innovation also includes systems that schedule interviews and contact candidates.
This trend is only going to continue. Customer service chatbots used to be able to answer only the most basic questions but have now become more sophisticated, freeing representatives (and IT tech support personnel) to focus on the more complicated issues the robot can't handle.
Overall, automation will take over tedious processes, but with the risk of increased job displacement and inequality. Adapting to change in HR will be vital to protect you and your employees from disruption.
Developing career self-management for the future of work.
Career Self-Management
Younger employees don't expect to stay in jobs for long. The days when somebody would graduate, enter a job, and then retire from the same company are mostly gone. One study found that 74% of Millennial and Gen Z employees were considering leaving their jobs because their current employer wasn't offering advancement or upskill opportunities.
People increasingly become their managers, even if they don't jump ship altogether and enter the freelance economy. Instead of establishing objectives within their current company, they strategize their career path. Career coaching is growing and is no longer just the province of C suite occupants or those aspiring to the C suite. More graduates are engaging career coaches at the start of their working lives.
As this trend grows, more workers, especially in knowledge-based jobs, will be taking charge of their careers, and instead of employers sending people to training, employees will be asking to go.
A smart AI technology system handles human resource management for the future of work.
The Future of Work: Less of It?
Four-day work weeks, automation, and AI. This might point toward there being less work in the future, which could be good or bad. For generations, our society has revolved around work as a means of survival and a cornerstone of individual identity. As we consider the future of work, we may need to rethink and redefine our long-standing beliefs about work's role in survival and personal identity.
According to McKinsey, nearly 40 percent of U.S. jobs are in categories that could shrink between now and 2030. Kiosks are replacing cashiers in fast food chains, and robots are likely to be flipping your burger soon.
The risk of displacement covers all sectors and carries a risk of overall economic disruption and political instability. It may be necessary to shift our entire attitude toward work. This might mean working fewer hours for the same pay. The growing interest in universal basic income is also evident, as studies have shown its positive effects on public health, including a reduction in road accidents, enabling individuals to leave abusive relationships, and boosting high school graduation rates.
We might transition to a future where your job ceases to define your identity, instead becoming merely a means to step out of the house. Or we might move in directions not yet predicted.
Your HR department needs to be ready for shifting trends in work and innovation in human resources. If you need help managing your HR, contact Possibilities Unlocked today.