With the pandemic a bit distant in our memories, flexible working, physical workplace, meeting lengths, overdose of zoom, all seem to be morphing to suit the new way of working. The lockdown brought about unforeseen changes some of which are being adopted as we chart out the new roadmap.
The main effect of post pandemic work has been reframing travel and commute. Corporate travel is now thought through, more than before. The benefits of a face-to-face meeting needs to outdo the cost and time involved in travel. A face-to-face meeting is now more valuable and more productive as there is an implicit understanding that more investment has gone into it.
Pilots for a 4-day week are being run and reports have found an increase in the physical and mental wellbeing, increased revenues, reduced absenteeism as well as slight decline in resignations. Belgian workers have won the right to compress 5 working days into 4. Companies are experimenting with 7-day flexible week and Work from Home (WFH) is now evolving into Work from Anywhere (WFA).
The slight changes in working habits, like reducing the meeting lengths from 1 hour to 45 minutes, or even 30 minutes, dedicated quite workspaces for more concentrated working, having priority tasks for each day are all evolving to produce a more efficient work environment.
Adapting to not just these new norms, but digital dexterity seems to outweigh experience and long career spans. Working alongside artificial intelligence software and devices, irrespective of the industry you work in, is becoming the norm. Embracing technology is no longer an option.
As the first article this year was on the Great Alignment, maybe it’s good to mention the un-retirement seen in the workforce. There seems to be a flow of older workers, reversing the post-pandemic great retirement. Is this due to the cost-of-living crisis or the fact that a corporate life still gives a better safety net or the fact that self-employment has not benefitted from various tax reliefs – maybe a mixture of all of the above.
As we step into a new year the social, digital, and technological trends will drive the future workplace as well as the future workforce.