Remote and flexible working schedule rules many industries and business setups these days. The longer we work remotely and away from our colleagues, the more being together is important. Virtual meetings cannot replace human connection and a shared experience. Humans generally need to socialize, brainstorm physically, and connect. This is how a community is built, and relationships are nurtured and reinforce our shared culture and purpose.
Employers don’t necessarily need to inform their employees about the upsides of the office since they’re plenty aware of it despite the benefits of the future of work. Many office workers post-pandemic does like to spend some time in the office for different reasons.
Below are a couple of workplace trends that have affected the current work processes and affected the future of work for all of us:
Mobility
In general, many workers will now expect the ability to work remotely or flexibly and the autonomy to match their work to the right setting far beyond the pandemic.
Many organizations maintained their productivity even after transitioning to work from home. This was not a surprise since further research consistently shows that people who spend some time working outside the office lead to better job commitment, workplace satisfaction, engagement, and innovation.
To attract talent, companies must utilize a forward-thinking mobility strategy. The future of work is the “hybrid model,” or balancing days at the office with working remotely, showing that workers are more thoughtful about time management, have a keener awareness of their colleagues, and have higher job satisfaction overall.
Work Settings Variety
Workers’ desire for options in the workplace isn’t new. Studies suggest that employers that offered options for when and where to work were more innovative and had higher-performing employees. Also, innovative companies focus on collaborating and spend lesser time in the office.
This doesn’t mean that a one-size-fits-all strategy for all companies exists. Many workers depend on resources available in their offices. Regardless, the future of work and its nature will continue to change, becoming more versatile, collaborative, and agile.
Health & Well-Being
All model workplaces support more than work; people deserve and expect health and wellness to be built into everything.
The employees’ desire for a healthy workplace should be met, especially during these times, or the company can face legal and productivity issues. As employees worldwide focus on the importance of health and well-being, employers are faced with more pressure to create a healthier environment, processes, and tactics for their staff. Globally, workers have experienced remote work, and many find their remote environments offer better access to the outdoors and better environmental comfort. Employers need to establish how their workplace policies can support their employees’ health and well-being.
Great offices will be the employees’ preferred place to work. However, the future of work clearly shows that remote working capabilities need to be considered, or the office spaces must be designed to support work for employees that prefer to work on-site. This is an opportunity for businesses of any size to rethink the “workplace” and create an effective setting for the company while also being mindful of the employees.
You can find out more about how organizations are transforming workplaces and empowering workforces for the demands of the future of work by visiting corporate and research sites and forums and seminars. How about you? What do you think is the future of the workplaces and employees?
