How we work today is drastically different than it was even just a few years ago. Even before things like COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter, work has been undergoing a dramatic shift.
From a high level, there are 3 main areas to pay attention to.
Technology and Connectivity
The idea of working without a smartphone or the internet seems crazy, but that was standard practice not too long ago. Technology, especially AI and the Internet of Things, is constantly growing and evolving and bringing with it new opportunities for growth. Technology impacts how we work, where we work, and the type of work we do. Companies best positioned for the future leverage technology to increase productivity and efficiency.
We have been seeing this first hand as a result of COVID-19. Some organizations out there have already been investing in emerging technologies and workplace practices and experienced minimal disruption and change during the pandemic. For others, their entire businesses have been negatively impacted as they scrambled to keep up.
A more globally connected organization means we can be distributed and also tap into top talent anywhere in the world.
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Power to Employees
A power shift has been happening in recent years that puts employees in the driver’s seat. Instead of having to explain to companies why they need to work there, companies now must explain to employees why then need them to work there. With more power comes increased transparency and an openness between organizations and employees. It’s led to a greater emphasis on employee experience and better workspaces, diversity, and flexibility as organizations work to recruit and keep the best employees.
It’s no wonder that employee experience was the #1 talent trend for 2020 according to a study that was done by LinkedIn. What is your organization doing to help make sure that people WANT not NEED to work there?
I put together a video which talks about this in more detail. Please check it out below and if you want more content like this you can subscribe to my Youtube channel.
Creating Human Organizations and Leadership
No company can exist without people. As technology increases and can be used to automate mundane tasks, organizations must find a way to become more human. Employees and leaders are emphasizing those uniquely human characteristics, such as collaboration, creativity, and vulnerability that can’t be replicated by machines. Human organizations allow employees to be unique and thrive and encourage leaders to act as coaches and mentors instead of just telling everyone what to do.
This was one of the main drivers that pushed me to write my new book, The Future Leader. Technology can and should be used to make our organizations MORE human.
These three changes to the world of work — plus countless others — are hugely positive in creating a forward-thinking and welcoming environment. As technology takes over repetitive tasks, humans are free to work as they please, improve themselves, and work together to make huge strides.
Organizations need to continually grow and improve to match the overall changes. Companies that embrace these changes instead of running away will be the most prepared for the future of work.
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1. Subscribe to The Future of Work Podcast where I interview business leaders around the world each week.
2. Grab a copy of The Future Leader which has been endorsed by the CEOs of MasterCard, Best Buy, Oracle, Audi, Unilever, Domino’s Pizza, Ritz Carlton, Kaiser, and Marshall Goldsmith. It explores the most essential skills and mindsets for future leaders.
3. If you are or want to be an entrepreneur then my wife and I just launched a brand new podcast on how to Be Your Own Boss, called the BYOB Podcast where we share what we did and how we did it. You can subscribe to that here.
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