The next evolution of work: five principles to embrace change
A joint report from professional services firm Deloitte and developer Lendlease encourages employers to embrace the seismic shifts that are transforming the workplace
We know that the workplace is changing, but how can we address these changes in order to make the workplace smarter, more human-centric and more productive? That’s the question facing companies all over the world as they navigate shifts to hybrid working, growing economic pressures and changing employee expectations.
A new report from Deloitte and Lendlease sets out a way forward. Entitled ‘Mastering The Next Evolution of Work’, it presents new scenarios for the future of work and encourages companies to embrace five key principles.
Power of choice
The report firstly encourages firms to first embrace freedom of choice. With the pandemic shifting how and where we work, the workforce has become more distributed and boundaries between home-life and work-life have blurred. Giving people the ability to choose how they divide their time and where their boundaries are, as part of a hyper-local approach, is a key element of building a flexible and supportive workplace.
Boundaryless work
To meet future challenges, companies will be required to lead large-scale innovation in products, systems and solutions. The pandemic showed that firms could adapt quickly and cross boundaries to meet different needs – car makers producing ventilators, for example. Now the challenge is to be nimble and flexible enough to explore new avenues critical to succeeding in the modern world of work. Developing innovation ecosystems, opening up to unexpected partnerships and prioritising transparency to improve communications are all key factors. Offering skills-based training to your employees is also important.
Workplace experience
The workplace has to be more than just a place to go. Offering a great workplace experience across a span of environments – both physical and virtual – can attract new talent and help companies retain their most valued staff. People want to go to the office to collaborate, socialise and develop their skills so offering a wellbeing-centric workplace with all the tools employees need to get on with their work is the first step to creating a vibrant culture that employees don’t want to leave behind.
Power of technology
Technology is the enabler of flexibility and its role in the future of work will be to propel people and performance. The right digital environment can personalise the workplace, help meet individual needs and support the development of staff, including neurodiverse employees. The report also suggests that the introduction of wearable tech is transforming our understanding of health and wellbeing at work.
New world of gamification
Points, badges, leader boards and dashboards. All these tools can help us gamify the workplace, making it engaging and enjoyable whilst also helping employees manage their time and nudge them towards desired objectives. The report’s final principle is about embracing a new wave of gamification in the workplace.
The five key pillars in the report hold up the scenario for the future of work that Deloitte and Lendlease describe as ‘both dynamic and complex’.
Read more about the future of modern working and how to action their insights here.
