Organisations can look at this as the bottle bursting and call it ‘The Great Resignation,’ or one can look at it as the cork popping, and raise their glass to ‘The Workforce of the Future'. However, if you’re going to embrace this inevitable transition (the change isn’t coming; it’s already here), you’re going to have to actively make that shift happen.
What tomorrow’s employees want
- To work on what inspires them
- To pursue their passion
- More flexibility
- More balanced lifestyles
- Not to live month to month
- To be able to save for retirement
- Opportunities to grow
- To escape that stressed burnt-out feeling
- Some are even looking for a 4-day work week
Tomorrow’s employers want staff who
- Remain motivated
- Can bring fresh creative ideas to the table
- Value their workplace
- Are not so stressed and burnt-out that it affects their work
- Have a knack for critical thinking and problem solving
- Maintain a positive mindset in the workplace
Are the expectations of the future workforce right or wrong?
Remember, anything that doesn’t fall within your own experience of life is going to seem wrong. You grew up being told to get a secure job, pay the bills, put food on the table, and pray you keep your job long enough to earn that watch. However, the next generation has been brought up in a much more flexible and malleable world where they can be as connected and efficient working from home as they would in an office – if not, more so.
We taught the younger generation to be free and innovative thinkers. We gave them participation medals and preached inclusiveness. Recently parents were told that no birthday party invites should be sent to school unless the entire class is being invited. As a society, we have gone out of our way to raise our children one way, yet expect them to behave in another.
Fast forward to the future, and young employees find themselves ill-equipped to handle any work environment where organisations are clinging to the same structures they’ve had for the last 40 years. We expect employees to fall in line and wonder why they can’t perform. As a result, we are seeing alarming levels of anxiety and mental health issues in the workplace.
It can be said that we are responsible for both younger and future generations and, consequently, need to provide the necessary platforms for their success. The correct approach towards this is one of balance and understanding.
The workforce of the future
The next generation seeks out work that is challenging and purposeful. They prefer to work on projects that keep them interested. This is why we are seeing a shift to more freelancers working on a variety of projects, rather than being bogged down in one corporate role. It’s all about gaining value, having purpose and achieving growth. The below findings in Deloitte’s survey speak volumes…
The Remote Workplace Model
During the lockdowns and varying degrees of restrictions the government had in place, employees had to adapt and embrace new technologies, which allowed them to stay plugged into their workplace and collaborate with incredible efficiency – all while working in the comfort of their home. Employees have had a taste of new solutions and these solutions fit in well with the “on-tap” lifestyle this generation has grown so accustomed to.
Many employers are already embracing the remote workplace model, and they are investing heavily in the artificial intelligence and automation software required to ensure this doesn’t have a negative effect on productivity. As long as productivity remains high, one can’t cling to the past saying, “I worked in the same office for 40 years to earn the watch you see on my wrist.”
Given the inevitable new path the modern workplace sees itself embarking on, it makes sense for employees to jump onboard and adapt to this shift versus those who resist such change and fall behind the curve.
The Hybrid Workforce Model
Employment contracts stipulating one must be at the office from Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm are quickly becoming relics of the past. A more hybrid arrangement is giving employees the flexibility they seek – working remotely for at least part of the week. Removing the commute from employees’ daily lives is already saving valuable time they can either put toward work or spend with family.
Realm is making the paradigm shift in the workforce happen
Corporates are becoming increasingly worried about this shift in the modern workplace. Some are fighting it. Some are trying to adapt and change, but they aren’t quite there yet. Some have already fully embraced the change and are even pushing to make the shift happen. Realm Digital falls into that last group.
Realm’s Team Augmentation offering is a testament to how it has embraced and actively worked towards making change. Team Augmentation gives you the ability to pick your best fit software team from Realm’s remote working pool of highly skilled digital experts for an agreed upon timeframe and budget.
From the client’s perspective: This is ideal for those short-term projects that don’t warrant permanent contractual commitments, or big projects for which you don’t have time to upskill existing staff. Furthermore, this drastically reduces the impact that additional resources and HR requirements can have on budget and workflow.
From the employees’ perspective: On completion of your project, these Digital Experts are assigned to new and exciting projects with the next best fit client. This keeps them engaged, inspired, and motivated to keep clients 100% satisfied.
Team augmentation is perfectly aligned with, and primed for, the workforce of the future. From strategy and consulting to design, development and integration, Realm has got the team for you. If this interests you, take a closer look here.
Or, if all this change has you nervous and you’re not sure how it fits into your business… let's talk!
