Redefining how we Work in a Changed World

We are only a few of weeks into the crisis, and what is already clear is that for many sectors of the economy the way that people work is going to change for ever, and in ways that we have not yet anticipated.

For the last 20 years the adoption of technology has transformed how we work and there has been a gradual shift to more remote working. While some, typically smaller and usually technology focused businesses, had already gone virtual, this has been the exception rather than the norm.

The strong tie between a physical place and our role in society has been part of our culture for thousands of years; going out to the fields, the market square and the workshop have tied a physical location to our role in society for as long as there has been society. That has now changed as businesses have had no choice but to carry on their business with no, or at best, extremely limited access to their physical estate. The impact on how we work, and even what we define as ‘work’ is likely to be profound.

While it is too early to be sure of the long-term impact of this it is already possible to see some trends emerging that will shape how we work once some sense of normality returns.

Organisational culture has already changed. Individuals will expect increased flexibility and will not want to return to the routine of the daily commute. Businesses will want to ensure that a future ‘lockdown’ will have minimal impact on business as usual. At the same time employees will want to feel a greater sense of shared purpose. A sense of community is likely to be critical to increasing productivity and retaining staff.

Leadership teams will have to think carefully about how to ensure that all members of the workforce feel included, and that a culture of remote working does not translate into a weakening of the psychological contract.

Physical meetings will become highly valued, and we can expect to see an increase in organisations holding whole company conferences to create and maintain a sense of belonging for a fragmented and physically disconnected workforce. Office design will be increasingly focused on brand value and creating space for collaboration. Organisations will seek short term use of large ‘branded’ spaces where they can bring staff and / or clients together to create a sense of belonging.

There are more fundamental shifts to IT that will need to underpin the future of work:

There will be some clear benefits from these shifts – real estate costs will reduce; staff will be more productive, and the environmental impact of business will be reduced. The challenge for business leaders is to ensure that these benefits do not come at the cost of staff feeling less engaged and disconnected from a shared purpose at work.

Look out for further articles in our ‘Coffee break series’ covering topics relevant to the current times, providing our experts advice, tips and thoughts to help your decision making.