We all have an opportunity to think about work in a new way, to seek greater empowerment and flexibility.
Over the last three hundred years we have had several revolutions, but this one means the optimisation of work could be managed not just around profitability and productivity, but also around humanity.
However, we need to redefine the "how, what and why" of work — and evolve the conversation beyond the single issue of remote working. This responsiveness to individual preferences will result in a new kind of competitive advantage around the battle for talent.
People are actually willing to quit if they are not given greater flexibility at work and companies that listen and experiment early will have an advantage.
Leaders need to become even more flexible and holistic in the ways they understand and respond to their employees’ needs. Rigid models of annual surveys, office attendance policies and a single office location are all artefacts of the past.
Discussions about remote and hybrid work are simply the early indicators of a deeper shift in redefining what work should be done and how that work gets done. We also need to empower women to remain in the workforce, creating more diverse equitable and inclusive cultures, and promote health & well being in the workplace.
We are at a seminal moment that demands collaborative engagement by all parties involved in driving economic opportunity. Don't be afraid to engage and have the hard conversations necessary for change.
