The Time Is Now To Re-Think Your Workplace
Jeanne Meister Contributor
I write about Trends Shaping The Future of Work
Throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, the concept of work and the workplace has remained much the same: eight hours a day, in cubicles, and marked by performance reviews just once per year.
But now, the workplace has evolved. It has become something that companies no longer take for granted, but rather see as a nexus of innovation, collaboration and a way to attract and retain top talent.
Our recent video "Re-Think The Future Workplace" depicts a very different way to work, learn and communicate: And many say (including myself) that the 2020 Workplace is here today.
Consider this: In many offices, mobile devices now outnumber employees. Most consumer brands and internal HR departments have a "Mobile First" strategy, meaning that innovations appear first on a mobile device. Just think of the recent announcements by game developers such as Electronic Arts and ZeptoLab, who are giving the Apple iTunes store an exclusive two-month window in which to promote their games. This promotion is indicative of an escalation in the battle for mobile customers, wherein companies are adopting Mobile First strategies in order to stay competitive.
Now consider what would happen if your companies HR department pursued the same strategy?
For one thing, key job openings would appear first on the company's mobile recruiting app, and to members of its online talent communities. This is happening now at Sodexo, the French food service company that focuses its recruiting efforts on mobile devices and apps instead of job boards.
Mobile is also becoming the dominant way to access product knowledge. For instance at Home Depot , which has a largely part-time sales force and an inventory of more than 50,000 items in its store, sales associates now use company tablets to access, sort, and relay the information they rely on every day.
The nature of teamwork is also changing as a result of technological advances. In today's office, employees use compelling, powerful online social networks such as Yammer, to communicate, share, and innovate in real time, regardless of their location. Adam Pisoni, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft and Co-Founder Yammer, believes organizations who are collaborative and encourage experimentation are better adapt and be responsive to needs of employees, customers and partners.
Young employees, who are all digital natives, are now graduating into the workforce with the expectation that their employers will keep pace with the changing nature of business, and that is keeping companies motivated to re-think their workplace. Seventy-nine percent of college graduates want the chance to work from home at least some of the time, according to the Intuit data compiled in the accompanying infographic. As a result, more major Fortune 500 companies have been compelled to build workplace flexibility into their official practices.
So, what does the Future Workplace mean to heads of HR?
Here are to target as you create a more adaptive employer brand:
Teleworking: Today, almost a quarter of the American work force telecommutes for part of the workweek, compared to only 4.4% that did so in 2012, according to Intuit Research's findings. As the graphic shows, almost 60 percent of companies now offer employees the option to telework, compared to 13 percent in 2006, the same group found. For example, at American Express , the members of only one of four distinct work groups spend their full work week on site: these are the "Hub" employees.
Alternatively, "Club" workers bounce between the office and other locations; "Home" group members have headquarters at their own houses, and the members of the "Roam" category are always on the road. The division of workers into these four categories, as part of what American Express calls its Blue Work program, has considerably improved worker productivity, company management claims. An added bonus? It's saved more than $10 million annually for the company in real estate costs.
Flexible Office Space: Understanding how design influences community is a crucial part of workplace innovation. At Ernst & Young, a notable trendsetter in this arena, the workplace "stresses inclusiveness and flexibility," as EY's Flexibility Strategy Leader Maryella Gockel puts it.
The company's current model workplace includes collaboration rooms complete with teleconferencing support, lounges covered with televisions screens, and flexible desk spaces, which are open to whoever logs in to the kiosk, rather than assigned to a particular employee. Small, phone-equipped pods serve workers on confidential calls, conference rooms facilitate collaboration, and open desk space allows for face time to punctuate screen time.
"It allows teams to work together, and space is no longer based on hierarchy—it's based on needs," says Gockel.
Major savings on real estate are another plus for EY, of course - cubicles were never space effective. Plus, this way the company doesn't need to dedicate ghost desks to frequent travelers who need only to stop into the office between work trips -- a conference room or lounge will suit them just fine.
Gamified Performance Review: Why wait a full year – or even a week — for feedback on your performance? Forward-looking companies like Spotify are adding gamification to their performance review process so employees can receive feedback instantaneously and become engaged at the same time.
Through an organizational newsfeed, employees could share project updates as well as additional important milestones. Management could provide consistent feedback through the Spotify employee social network. The implementation led to a 90% adoption rate via their mobile and web platforms.
Millennials will be 75% of the global workforce by 2025. In that context, rethinking the workplace will be not just a perk, but the way companies attracts and retain top talent.
With all this in mind, think ahead: what are you doing that is innovative and/or rethinks the workplace? Chime in below in the comments section!
Jeanne Meister is a Partner at Future Workplace and co-author of The 2020 Workplace book. You can follow Jeanne on Twitter, connect with her on Linkedin, and sign up to receive the latest Future Workplace newsletter here.
Jeanne Meister
I am a partner with Future Workplace, an HR Advisory and Research firm dedicated to providing insights on the future of learning and working. Future Workplace has create...