'There are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks where decades happen.' - Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
I am sure all of you can resonate well with this quote. Many of the reports around the future of work that I have read over the last few years have now very much come to the light and will likely become a way of life for many of us.
Working from home, flexible working, less travel, using resources mindfully, being considerate while shopping'� There are loads of unintended consequences from the virus and its effects.
Indeed, even from a future of work perspective, the last few weeks have been the equivalent to decades worth of change. The journey of business leaders and employees towards the future of work has come a long way and in ways, looks brighter for the years to come.
The following months and years will bring about a wave of changes. It is now more important than ever for organisations to understand and build the resilience to adapt to the future of work.
As we move through this period organisations may realise they can operate with less space and travel which will imply fewer overheads and normalise remote working.
Further, organisations may see their Recruitment, Onboarding, Engagement, Learning and Development strategies revamped with more digital and virtual methods.
As the dawn of the future of work sets in today's time, organisations will have to relook at their entire Employee Value Proposition (EVP).
When we look through the lens of our EVP diagnostic model in the context of what we have discussed above, a number of reflection points come to the light:
Adapting your EVP for the future of work today
Work Environment
The events unfolding now will lead us to re-think of our idea of the traditional office environment. We must support our people to do their job in more remote environments and adapt to new ways of work.
It will take time, effort and thoughtful consideration to define and incorporate work environment as part of the EVP in the weeks and months to come.
Business Stability and Growth
It's humanly impossible for organisations and many of us to predict and prepare for events such as coronavirus. One of the best ways for organisations (very much like for our own personal health), is to build immunity and resilience to manage through events like these.
Hence, organisations will need to do stress tests more often to evaluate their ability to withstand strategic, operational and financial risks.
A stronger stress test scorecard could have the potential to add significantly to the organisation's EVP.
Mission & Purpose
Organisation's capable of discovering a higher purpose beyond their profits and near the periphery of the environment in which they operate will strengthen their employer brand.
Candidates want to work with companies where they sense a larger purpose from their work, have a healthy work-life balance and personal development.
Social Capital
As we embrace remote working, virtual events and online meetings organisations will have to find new ways in which remote workers can:
- Build relationships
- Socialise
- Build formal & informal networks
The world and its ways post COVID-19 will indeed look much different. We would love to hear your thoughts on what you think will be the new normal in the world of work.
The Future of Work offers EVP frameworks to help you develop meaningful employee value propositions, that create aligned authentic employee experiences which will drive employee attraction, retention and meaningful engagement.