Flexible work has not only already proved to be productive, but to deliver significant benefits in terms of better work/life balance. It accepts the reality that there is no one-size-fits-all approach that suits all the individuals, teams, and functions that drive corporate success.
The need for work/life balance became far more evident during the pandemic. There was resistance. Employees complained that not only did they feel that the work they were doing wasn’t being recognized, but employers thought they could call them any time, day or night.
Employees also reported a much better work/life balance (once they’d sorted management out), enabling them to avoid expensive commutes, spend quality time with family, and enjoy better focus. Not surprisingly, they want to keep working that way.
But for all the focus on flexible working practices, these are just part of a much larger focus on employee wellbeing and corporate social responsibility. The new world of work will almost certainly be characterized by an excess of digital processes to support new working models.
What matters? Some important insights are available in the Future Workplace 2021 HR sentiment survey, which identified that 68% of senior HR leaders understand the importance of supporting employee wellbeing.
The challenge to delivering such support to remote teams is driving some companies to invest in digital solutions to support their people. Some have invested in corporate access to meditation apps such as Calm; others subscribe to activity and exercise promoting services. Another interesting illustration of the trend comes from UK firm Oddbox, which has partnered with Mintago to provide staff with financial and pension management and advice services.
Ultimately, purpose is critical. Think about the early onset of BYOD, when initial employer resistance was simply overcome by the growing desire for employee choice. Today, such choice has become an HR imperative.
Brian Elliott at Future Forum on LinkedIn suggests a better approach to boosting collaboration is to “get people virtual ways to connect, but also reasons to connect across teams: schedule all-hands meetings with virtual and in real life options, [and] encourage participation in Employee Resource Groups and local voluntary activities.”
Reflexive Analysis
This opinion piece brings up some interesting points on the absolute necessity for purpose as a worker. Without a goal, without fulfillment, without a purpose, what is the point? Workers become more invested, more productive, and more engaged when they have options to both see and actively work towards an objective. How can we incorporate a sense of purpose into the Hyve-3D system in order to connect with it’s users and keep them interested and invested? Is there a way to subtly manipulate the space in order to foster a sense of productivity, or is a more in-your-face approach more effective? What about a space can inspire a person, and how can their access to that space change that feeling? Does accessibility directly impact a person’s perception of purpose in relation to a workplace? How does a worker lose interest in a project in the first place, and is there a way to prevent that from happening at all?
The new workplace will be distributed, digital — and full of purpose
Evans, Johnny. "The new workplace will be distributed, digital — and full of purpose." Computerworld, International Data Group, 24 Aug. 2022, www.computerworld.com/article/3670738/the-new-workplace-will-be-distributed-digital-and-full-of-purpose.html. Accessed 8 Sept. 2022.
