Introduction to the future of work

Workers today are facing unprecedented levels of uncertainty due to global events. A recent study, "From always connected to omni-connected," found that only one in six workers feel truly connected to their work, team, and organization.

As a result, companies are making decisions about where their employees will work physically in the future. However, another study suggests that companies need to consider more than just physical spaces and locations when making these decisions.

Despite 83% of the global workforce considering a hybrid workplace as ideal in 2021, more workers are fully onsite compared to the previous year, with 36% being onsite compared to 25% in 2020 across all industries.

Additionally, work-life enhancement has dropped by 4%, which indicates that workers have less energy from their personal lives to bring to their work. This may be one of the reasons why only 29% of workers trust that their company's leaders have their best interests in mind.

According to research, leaders tend to overestimate how connected their employees feel to their work and organization, by twice the actual amount. This suggests that organizations may not be creating a supportive culture as well as they think they are.

Therefore, instead of asking where people should work in the future, companies should focus on what enables people to be productive, healthy, and happy, regardless of their work location. Forward-thinking companies are providing resources that cater to individual needs to unlock employees' potential.

The future of work is happening now.

Hybrid workplace model

A better approach for companies to succeed in the future of work is to focus on enabling and supporting workers in new ways, rather than just on physical workspaces. This is necessary for unlocking human potential.

We should challenge our preconceived notions regarding the norms of work, including the location and schedule, and reimagine traditional models to enable individuals to be efficient from anywhere. This involves providing equal support to individuals, businesses, and communities, and technology will play a critical role in achieving this goal.

Another study, "Honing Your Digital Edge," discovered that companies that are digitally fluent tend to excel in innovation, providing a positive experience for their employees, and delivering value to their customers.

Focus on enabling and supporting workers in new ways, rather than just on physical workspaces

Industry-specific solutions for future work

The world relies on approximately 2.7 billion workers, such as healthcare workers, grocery store clerks, and delivery drivers, who are essential in keeping things running. Although these workers may not have the luxury of choosing their work location, companies can still offer flexibility in other aspects of their work experience.

This can be achieved through various means such as providing employees with more autonomy in the tools they use, the decisions they make, the benefits they select, and the schedules they keep. Companies can also consider reskilling or upskilling employees by helping them discover and unleash their hidden skills, which can lead to sustainable change and empowerment.

Public Service: Remote work was not common in the public service sector before the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, leaders in this sector have an opportunity to use technology to improve the work experience for remote employees. They can gather insights from employees about what they need to be successful while working remotely, use workflow and efficiency evaluations, and invest in upskilling and reskilling programs to help employees adapt to new challenges and opportunities.

Natural Resources: Technology has played a significant role in reshaping the natural resources industry, particularly mining and metals companies. However, the industry now faces new challenges such as climate change and geopolitical uncertainty. Adapting to these challenges will require new skill sets and talent management strategies, as well as a focus on purpose, autonomy, independence, and innovation. Flexible work arrangements can also play a role in supporting these efforts.

Health: In the healthcare industry, compliance has traditionally been ensured by having employees physically present in call centers. However, in a hybrid workplace, new solutions are needed to maintain confidentiality and trust between employees and employers. For example, one healthcare company required workers to self-certify that they had a private space to work in, creating a sense of ownership and autonomy for workers while also maintaining patient confidentiality.

Retail: Frontline retail workers can benefit from digital tools that help them make decisions faster, automate tedious tasks, and reduce the physical demands of their work. Investments in robotics and artificial intelligence can equip retail workers to take on more interesting and complex tasks, making their jobs more fulfilling.

Rethinking how work happens

Leaders who are forward-thinking understand the concept of "proximity bias," which is the risk of giving more opportunities to employees who are physically present, thus putting remote workers at a disadvantage.

To prevent this, it's important to prioritize a supportive culture and create a connected experience that is fair for everyone. This involves fostering relationships, creating personal and professional value, and enabling career growth. The future of work will depend on four main strategies for achieving these omni-connected experiences.

The four strategies for creating value through omni-connected experiences in the future of work are to instill modern leadership by leading with empathy, transparency, and trustworthiness, to grow a thriving culture by prioritizing purpose, authenticity, and psychological safety, to enable agile organizations by scaling new ways of working, and to empower people through technology by providing access to a robust foundation and the ability to experiment.

Impart modern leadership: Implement a leadership style that embodies empathy, transparency, and trustworthiness in order to promote a more equitable, omni-connected work experience. Grow a thriving culture: Develop a work culture that emphasizes values such as purpose, authenticity, and psychological safety to ensure employees feel valued, included, and motivated.

Enable the agile organization: Encourage and implement flexible work arrangements and scaling new ways of working in order to support the changing needs of employees and the business.

Empower people through technology: Provide employees with access to robust digital tools and technology that allow them to experiment and innovate, thereby enabling them to be more productive and adaptable.

Future-ready CEOs have an advantage as they recognize the importance of omni-connection in the work experience and are willing to transform their organizations accordingly. By prioritizing new work models and approaches, they can create an environment that enables people to be productive and connected from anywhere, thus unlocking new opportunities for growth and innovation.

These CEOs understand the value of reskilling and upskilling, embedding learning and development across the experience of every worker, and developing an organization-wide digital strategy. By doing so, they can connect people to a sense of purpose, productivity, and impact, and foster a culture of trust, transparency, and empathy. This will enable their organizations to thrive in the future of work.

1. Create personal and impactful connections between people and their work by instilling a sense of dignity and clarity.

2. Foster continuous learning and development for every worker by offering reskilling and upskilling opportunities.

3. Enable productivity from anywhere by establishing organizational practices that support successful omni-connection in the future of work.

4. Build a digital strategy that places digital tools at the heart of how people connect, work, and develop within the organization.

There is a growing demand to rethink our work environments and practices. While it can be a daunting task to optimize resources that support a healthy and productive workforce, regardless of their location, companies that take on this challenge will experience positive financial outcomes.

Prioritize a supportive culture and create a connected experience that is fair for everyone

Virtual workplace: The metaverse

Enterprise metaverse workplaces create opportunities for employees to come together in new ways, such as collaboration in virtual workplaces, augmented physical places and a blend of the two. Metaverse workplaces allow our people to meet in offices without being physically present, and also offers unique onboarding experiences for new hires.

It’s still early, but it is sure that hybrid workplaces might never be the same.