Each week I’m going to provide a round up of what I consider to be important and interesting articles on the future of work (not authored by me). These will include a variety of sources and topics ranging from workplace practices to robots and automation to leadership and everything in between. There’s a lot of information out there so I’m hoping that these weekly round ups will help make life a bit easier for you by giving you just the good stuff. Let’s get into it!

Will the Gig Economy Make the Office Obsolete?
The gig economy is where people work independently as consultants, contractors and freelancers in lieu of one full-time job. Traditional jobs require employee presence in the office 5 days a week.
In contrast to daily attendance, gig employers are focusing on performance rather than regular time in office seats. Research shows that just being in an office does not maximize employee productivity, satisfaction or performance. It has been found that independent, remote workers are more productive, satisfied and engaged than office-bound colleagues.
Though this research has been discussed, many managers are reluctant to make the move to remote workers. The difficulty of managing those who work remotely and the need to develop a system that tracks performance rather than time in an office chair are being identified as key factors.
A middle ground is proposed that allows for part-time remote work and part-time in office work. Early research of this type of arrangement is promising.
Something to consider!

Secrets to Setting Your Company’s Culture
Creating a culture is an integral part of a well run organization. These are eight questions you can ask when you think about your culture.
1. What does your office space look like?
2. Do you have a learning environment?
3. Do people have to come to the office or can they work from home?
4. What working hours are expected?
5. How frugal are you?
6. How about pets, are they allowed in the office?
7. How do you welcome new people?
8. How do you manage problems?
Want more details on these questions? Check out the article!

3 Ways to Show Your Boss Working From Home Works
1. Honor your hours of availability. Keep your supervisor apprised of your daily work schedule – or anything else that takes away ambiguity of your working process.
2. Don’t be a bottle neck. It is crucial to reply to emails and calls quickly so you aren’t creating frustration for other people who aren’t in your position.
3. Make time to socialize. Try to schedule visits for coffee, etc. to build relationships within the company

My new book, The Employee Experience Advantage (Wiley, March 2017) analyzes over 250 global organizations to understand how to create a place where people genuinely want to show up to work. Subscribe to the newsletter here.

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