Workplace of the Future

This is clearly not a time to sit and watch for events to unfold. Be prepared. Be ready. How is the workplace of the future going to be like? What does this mean for you?

About one-third of the world’s workforce is now working remotely compared to 2019 when only 17% were remotely employed, according to Gartner. The pandemic abruptly changed how and where we work.

Not having to travel to the office has cut commute time, improving productivity. Then, the brief coffee breaks, occasional birthday cake cutting celebrations, and common banter usually shared with colleagues that ate into working hours have considerably increased efficiency at work. Among the top reasons respondents gave for their increased productivity when working from home were, “more focused time”, “a stress-free environment” and “not having to deal with office politics”.

Today, close to 65% of workers say (FlexJobs surveyed 2100 remote workers during March and April 2021) they want to continue to work as remote employees, and 33% prefer a hybrid work environment with the flexibility to work from home a few days a week. 

The FlexJobs survey also found 58 % claiming they would look for a new job if they were unable to continue remote work. As the benefits of remote work are coming to light, companies also want to keep their employees working from home.

By March 2021, two-thirds of employers around the world were redesigning their workplaces to accommodate for the hybrid work arrangements, indicated Microsoft’s Work Trend Index 2021.

Some have even gone ahead and reduced office spaces to implement a hybrid work model for the long haul. Let’s take a brief look at the workplace of the future and see how we can maneuver through them.  

No More a Work Place

First of all, there seems to be no workplace as such. The office with your favorite photo on the desk and creative pen holder doesn’t exist anymore, for a lot of people. In its place all there is now, is a laptop with high-speed internet. This is a mobile unit that can move from home to a café; from a dining table to a balcony.

We will have to learn to focus, under any circumstance, with kids playing in the background or the pressure cookers whistling.

Less Facetime

Even as remote work has offered more family time, face-to-face meetings and peer collaborations are sadly missing. This means running the risk of being out of touch with fellow employees.

We are most likely having to find our own way of energizing ourselves. Being proactive and taking the initiative to organize meet ups, every once in a while will be helpful. It ensures we are on the same page with peers.

Data Breaches

Many companies have enabled their employees with laptops instead of desktops but some have not. This means it’s possible to unwittingly compromise company data when working from personal computers with unsecured networks. The reverse can happen, too.

Be cognizant of malware attacks that can jeopardize your personal data and transactions.

Changing Expectations

Employers are also beginning to alter their expectations from workers. Productivity is not just about whether the target was met or a deal was signed. Leaders are increasingly seeing collaboration, flexibility, and the willingness to learn as core qualities in their employees. More adaptable employees with a penchant for learning are likely to be favored over others.

Work-Life Balance

Leaders seem to be faring better than employees in the current scenario. According to the Work Trend Index survey, conducted in January 2021 across 31 markets, 61% of business leaders admitted they were “thriving.” But the high productivity appeared to be masking an exhausted workforce with 54% feeling “overworked” and 39% feeling “exhausted”.

Ensuring time is taken out for short breaks and occasional family indulgences for decompressing is vital for better emotional wellbeing. Especially when the line between work and life is blurry, these short distractions are better for efficiency.  

Looking at the brighter side of the current work conditions, being around family, having an eye on the children, being able to juggle household errands with work, squeezing in a hurried family lunch with the spouse are all choices that the new workplace offers.

How well we adapt to these circumstances and turn them in our favor will determine our success and happiness at work.

Author: Dr. Anjana Das