The future of the workplace: Organisations will need to lead change to survive

The future of the workplace was already a hot topic before the pandemic ushered in an overnight paradigm shift in how we work. Flexibility and agility came to the fore and tech became even more embedded in working life. As organisations continue to readjust, companies and business leaders are acutely conscious of how the traditional workplace will evolve.

Agile workplace design

According to Gary Notley, partner in human capital consulting at Deloitte, the concept of the workplace as a physical space has been redesigned, giving organisations a unique opportunity to experiment with, not “where”, but “how” work should be done.

“Organisations have adopted an agile approach to designing the workplace with work outcomes and employee desires now at the centre of decision-making processes,” says Notley. “Organisations are doing their best to align their needs and desires with the needs and desires of their entire workforce.”

This means that many of the necessary changes brought about by the pandemic – such as remote working and enhanced employee wellbeing support – are staying put.

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According to Patrick Gallen, partner in people and change consulting with Grant Thornton, old assumptions and ways of working “unfroze” or fell away, as we embraced remote and hybrid working.

“We are now in a period of ‘refreezing’ where norms formed during the pandemic are solidifying. There is now a greater focus on outputs and productivity, irrespective of place of work,” Gallen explains, noting that leaders must accept that the hybrid workspace has become a permanent feature and must use it to their advantage.

“To use remote work optimally, you also need to reflect on your corporate culture, because it will not work in a hybrid workspace.

“It is very much about creating a purposeful vision of the future, through fostering employee engagement and belonging by stating each team’s purpose and goals.”

Notley agrees: “Post-pandemic, organisations have kept a focus on worker agency, flexible working arrangements and employee mental health considerations.

“These changes demonstrate the transformative nature of the pandemic in terms of leaning toward an employee-driven workplace as opposed to primarily being organisation-driven.”

Gallen says, however, that some organisations are reverting back to a more structured hybrid working model, with specific days in the workplace for specific teams and functions to encourage greater innovation.

“We have seen this in our own organisation, particularly with trainees, as it is much more difficult to ‘learn on the job’ in a virtual environment; and the natural osmosis of hearing and observing others doesn’t happen as easily if you are sitting at home,” Gallen says.

He cites a recent study by researchers at Columbia Business School which found that, while video conferencing was helpful in making decisions, it inhibited team members’ ability to generate ideas that could result in innovation. “Hence, we are seeing lots of organisations reverting back to face-to-face conferences and team development events,” Gallen points out.

Redesigning roles

In the background, lest we forget, the use of artificial intelligence (AI), cognitive technologies, and robotics to automate and augment work is on the rise; Notley says this is prompting the redesigning of jobs in a growing number of sectors.

“The jobs of today are more machine-powered and data-driven than in the past, and they also require more human skills in problem-solving, communication, interpretation, and design,” he says.

According to Notley, the jobs in highest demand today are so-called “hybrid jobs”, that bring together technical skills, including technology operations and data analysis and interpretation, as well as so-called “soft” skills in areas such as communication, service, and collaboration.

Organisations will be identifying gaps in current technology that are not aiding employee experience and seeking to replace these with technology that can improve work and performance outcomes, Notley says, adding that: “The rapid advancement of automation and AI will play a large role in shaping the future of organisations with many roles likely to evolve as a result.”

Organisations will need to lead this change to survive, Gallen says.

“Teams will be globally dispersed with a greater emphasis on how they add value through data analytics and insights. New roles will be created, with a greater focus on technology and digital capability, in an environment where you can protect people but not jobs,” Gallen explains.

He adds, however, that it is likely to take years before we have enough data to provide answers to the unknown challenges that remain as technology and society evolves post the pandemic.

“Leaders need to develop a strategy for navigating the long period of uncertainty that lies ahead.”