Why leadership and learning need to change in the new era

The latest podcast in a Future of Work series produced by UK law firm Lewis Silkin features Jeremy Myerson and Philip Ross, co-founders of WORKTECH Academy and co-authors of Unworking: The Reinvention of the Modern Office, in conversation with Lewis Silkin partner Lucy Lewis.

The podcast considers the habits and rituals we will need to ‘unlearn’ in order to reimagine the workplace of the future, with a particular focus on rethinking both learning and leadership, as well as how to make the workplace as inclusive as possible.

Key takeaways from the conversation:

• Leadership is being reimagined: Leadership will focus less on presenteeism and more on outputs and purpose. Leaders must drive a sense of purpose and belonging, and organisations will need to rethink their physical spaces to align with this vision.
• Space will no longer define status: While workspace does not dictate culture, it reinforces and supports it. Organisations are moving away from the idea of modern efficiency – rectangular spaces in box-like buildings – towards more democratic spaces, such as circular and curvilinear spaces.
• Workplace experience is key: Companies need to take workplace experience seriously. Many are introducing workplace experience apps to enhance workplace experience and drive a sense of purpose and belonging.
• Office design should support diversity and inclusion: A diverse workforce has diverse needs, andemployees may work best in different conditions and environments. To be truly inclusive, the workplace of the future must be heterogeneous and provide employees with genuine choice and variety.
• Organisations need to rethink learning: Hybrid working has resulted in a rapid shift away from the ‘eavesdropping’ model of learning in open plan space, requiring companies to rethink their current practices and invest in new and emerging technologies

Listen to the full Future of Work podcast with Jeremy Myerson and Philip Ross here.