3 Ways the Workplace Will Change for the Better

June 25, 2020

 

iCIMS Staff

3 min read

To avoid the need to dust off your buzzword BINGO card, let’s get to the point of what “the new future of work” means for you: to simplify and optimize how you get your job done.

“The reason for the [future of work] interest is simple,” said Josh Bersin in a 2017 Forbes article. “We are in an economic cycle where jobs, as we know them, are rapidly changing.” If only Josh knew how “rapidly” would take on a whole new meaning in 2020.

A simpler and more optimized way of work that can withstand rapid change means a variety of things to leaders, managers, associates, and to the boots on the ground. It could mean clarity of purpose and a more inclusive culture. It could span to more personalized experiences for employees, candidates, and customers alike. It could even mean deploying emerging technology to drive deeper, and faster, decision-making.

What we can all agree on is that the new future of work has the massive potential to improve every organization for the better. Here are top three ways that employees will see the impact:

1. A Structure That Thrives in Change. Teams will assess the areas of their jobs where they feel reactive, rather than proactive. We’re scrutinizing yesterday’s organizational structures which have hindered the ability to make decisions quickly. What will then be the norm is an inclusive, agile structure and the methodology that comes along with it. An agile way of work will also be supported by what is called process mining, which includes identifying repetitive tasks than can be automated.
2. Communication That is Virtual and Inclusive. The pandemic has made us rethink in-person meetings, trainings, and employee experiences. Leaders continue to find new ways to keep displaced workers connected, whether they are working remote or furloughed. Text message campaigns, targeted career sites, and consistent email communications are becoming necessities. With those types of tech solutions supporting communication, management is getting creative in how they can more effectively weave relationships together and identify how remote and on-site employees contribute to the culture differently.
3. Investing into the Whole Candidate and Employee. When our way of work changes, so do our individual jobs and talent profiles. Start by taking another look at your screening process and how you best capture a candidate’s full potential. That means digging deeper on how they are a fit not just for the position you’re looking to fill, but the impact they can make within the organization at large. Background check providers, such as Data Facts, can give your talent team a head start with a well-rounded view of a candidate (find Data Facts on the iCIMS marketplace here). For current employees, a focus on upskilling means giving workers the knowledge they need to handle more than one aspect of the business. It will help maintain productivity and effectiveness and as new roles emerge, it gives more awareness cross-departmentally of existing employee transferable skills.

The throws of the pandemic put a halt to our way of life, however we will emerge with new knowledge and insight about business and the talent that keeps everything moving forward. Leaders can start now planning for a better, albeit different, future for themselves and their employees.

Looking for ways to better manage your workforce while remote? Get our guide here.