The Future of Work, Research Paper Example

The COVID-19 pandemic has yielded unprecedented humanitarian challenges. Many organizations worldwide have risen to the occasion by swiftly safeguarding their employees by adopting a new way of working (Solomon & Cartier, 2021, p.48). Nevertheless, the short-term consequences were severe, with millions of individuals furloughed or losing their jobs while others had to adjust to remote working as offices closed rapidly. Some of the workers deemed essential included health professionals, who continued to work in hospitals, although new protocols were adopted to prevent the spread of the virus. This peak of accelerated changes has created an imperative to consider the choices organizations will encounter upon removing pandemic constraints. This paper, therefore, seeks to analyze what choices organizations are left with in regards to the future of work by analyzing Solomon & Cartier and Schley’s articles.

A New Era in work

Organizations are thinking of better ways to move past the COVID-19 pandemic-driven remote working into a purposeful strategic plan for the future of work (Schley, 2021, pp.76). By building on lessons learned in 2020 when the pandemic was at its peak, organizations can develop work plans that combine the aspects of remote working and collaborative in-person working. This approach is often termed hybrid working (Schley, 2021, pp76). This working model helps to balance the benefits of flexible working and work life. Therefore, organizations need to develop a thoughtful and purposeful approach to hybrid work to help attract and even retain talents. In addition, organizations ought to reimagine their work and create safe, productive, and enjoyable lives for their employees. Although organizations may encounter many opportunities and challenges in the process as they accelerate forward, it is clear that the main aim is to humanize the future of work.

Solomon and Cartier (2021, pp.48) back up Schley’s argument by revealing that the office dimension has been experiencing constant change throughout the years. This change is often compelled by technology and the ability to work anywhere and anytime, which has liberated the workforce from traditional constraints that guided where work was to be performed. For example, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the labor market was disrupted, which elevated the importance of physical dimensions at the workplace. The onset of the pandemic accelerated some of the work trends, such as remote working, while at the same time forcing the pause of some of the work trends. With the production and the deployment of vaccines, most organizations began to insist on returning workers to the offices, which has contributed to severe backlash from employees, making the future of work a bumpy ride for organizations. These changes underscore how much the world of work is shifting, leading to a shift in the work culture (Solomon & Cartier, 2021, pp. 49).

According to Schley (2021, pp.76), employees’ reactions to working remotely vary. Some employees have realized that they are more productive and efficient by working from home, but others have been less productive. While some have reported loving working from home, others report being happiest working at the office or co-working spaces full time with many social interactions (Schley, 2021, pp.76). This is because working from home is seen as creating disconnections and distance between colleagues. Hence, most people want to get the best from both worlds as it grants them the flexibility to choose where and when they can work. This may significantly affect the future of work. This is where the hybrid model takes over. This concept combines the notion of remote working and working at the office (Schley, 2021, pp.76). Some organizations had already adopted the hybrid model before the pandemic, but others are still trying to find their way into this approach. The model allows some workers to work from home while others work from the office. It is all about adapting work to the experience of the employees, which makes them operate best and at the same time create experiences that are inclusive and also reach a variety of people.

The hybrid model is key to understanding the future of work as it includes many possible systems (Schley, 2021, pp.77). This model provides individuals with more freedom and flexibility around where and when to work. In addition, the approach grants the employees more freedom, enabling them to fit work around other aspects of their lives instead of structuring other parts around working hours (Schley, 2021, pp.78). Ideally, the model brings out the best of both worlds by putting sociability and structure on one hand and flexibility and independence on the other hand. This approach has since accelerated after the pandemic where organizations designated certain days for collaboration and onsite and remote working on other days. Organizations have realized that although physical presence at work might be necessary for activities such as project kick-offs, teambuilding, and orientation, it is unnecessary for other work. Thus, it is crucial to reimage a company to suit all changes (Solomon & Cartier, 2021, pp. 49).

It is time to move from mere concepts into actions and focus on the right path that will lead us towards thriving and not merely survival. Thus, there is a need to change the work and the structures and values of an organization to adapt to the new norm (Solomon & Cartier, 2021, pp. 49). To humanize the future of work, it is essential to re-architect work. It is time to understand and appreciate the role of office space for organizational culture and collaboration, changes to be made on work design, and the incorporation of technology in the management of hybrid workplaces (Chley, 2021, pp.76). The other thing that needs to be emphasized is unleashing the workforce. This includes challenging the perceptions about work and using technology to assist in unleashing and identifying human potential within and beyond the organization.

Additionally, it is essential to adapt to the workplace (Solomon & Cartier, 2021, pp. 48). This includes not underestimating the continuous cultural and organizational shifts necessary for the changing work environment. This also includes the ecosystem of virtual and physical places of work and the existing expectations on how to engage, collaborate, and relate with each other (Chley, 2021, pp.7). The adoption of the hybrid model is set to improve the employees’ productivity. With the empowerment and flexibility that accompanies the model, the employees will work on their strengths, which helps boost their productivity. The model will also help improve the culture and the employees’ satisfaction. The model also cultivates collaboration and better work relationships, which are facilitated by a combination of virtual communication and face-to-face interactions where necessary (Chley, 2021, pp.76). Virtual meetings mainly facilitate this. When strategically and carefully planned, this model has the potential to take organizations to a new level of productivity.

In a hybrid model, transparent communication is critical. This ensures that each person is seen and heard. This also helps to enhance consistency and avoid conflicts. Transparent communication also helps to empower the employees. When there is open communication, the employees feel comfortable putting any issues across, enhancing their sense of belonging, camaraderie, and responsibility.

Incorporating technology can help manage the dynamic workplace (Chley, 2021, pp.79). The integration of enterprise systems and digital screens has helped enhance the employees’ experience. Technology plays a vital role in the success of the hybrid approach as it helps maintain the human connection.

Conclusion

The pandemic is now being referred to as the time machine for the future. The pandemic has accelerated revolution as organizations, and people find new working ways. In today’s world, redefining the human dimension of work is a continuous process with no single entry point. This process is characterized by many transformations and evolutions that strategically focus on improving the work experience and organizations’ value, meaning, and purpose. To make this possible, organizations need to work and think differently and constantly challenge the canons of work from the past. This can only be made possible by shifting the mode of thinking, emphasizing re-architecting the flow of work, and using technology to evaluate humans’ different capabilities. This will make it possible to realize the individual potential and create a safe and conducive work environment where teams and people are empowered with the necessary culture, technology, and tools to realize their potential. The opportunity, in this case, is creating a future of work that is designed around unleashing human energy, adopting human dimensions of work, and creating endless possibilities of realizing the benefits that accrue from the productive incorporation of technology at work. This will help unlock outcomes and aspirations that have never been seen and thought possible.

References

Solomon, E., & Cartier, C. (2021). THE Real Stakes OF THE “Future of Work” DEBATE. Entrepreneur, 49(6), 46–49.

Schley, M. (2021). The Hybrid Workplace. Facility Management Journal / FMJ, 31(5), 75–79.