UBA046 - The nature of work
What comes next?
Remote work has transitioned from a temporary necessity to a permanent phenomenon. Tools and company policy leapt forward as a response to global lockdowns and has now reshaped how businesses operate, how employees engage with their work and how society perceives ‘work’. This evolution has brought undeniable benefits, from increased flexibility and productivity to significant cost savings for both employers and employees…but it also presents serious challenges to culture that many companies are now desperately seeking to address.
But while many organisations are still trying to resolve the knock-on effects of remote work, a new raft of challenges are just around the corner as a result of the AI revolution. So as organisation leaders, what comes next for us in configuring the nature of work?
The Benefits of Remote Work
Remote work has undoubtedly brought many benefits, and has broken down many employer negative preconceptions around trust and self-discipline. In particular, some of the benefits include:
Individual Flexibility and Work-Life Balance - One of the most celebrated advantages of remote work is the enhanced flexibility it offers. Employees no longer need to spend so much time commuting, and can tailor their work schedules to better fit their personal lives, potentially leading to a better work-life balance.
Increased Productivity and Cost Savings - Contrary to some people’s fears, remote work often leads to increased productivity. Without the distractions of a traditional office environment, employees can find it easier to focus on their tasks. This shift also results in significant cost savings for both companies and employees, from reduced office expenses to lower commuting and work-related costs.
Access to a Global Talent Pool - Remote work removes geographical barriers, allowing companies to tap into a global talent pool. Organisations can hire the best talent from anywhere in the world, bringing diverse perspectives and skills into their teams. For employees, this opens up more job opportunities, as they are no longer restricted by location when seeking employment.
The Drawbacks
Remote work offers numerous benefits, but it also presents significant challenges. It is worth noting that many of the benefits of remote work lean towards the rational, while many of the drawbacks relate towards more human challenges.
Physical and Mental Health Concerns - When working from home, much physical movement can be lost from our day. No walking to and from a train station is needed, and it is easy to go for a whole day without leaving the house. Working from home can also lead to feelings of loneliness and a disconnect from colleagues, which can negatively impact mental well-being.
Communication and Collaboration Issues - Effective communication and collaboration can be more difficult in a remote work setting. Without the ability to easily drop by a colleague’s desk or hold impromptu meetings, remote teams can experience delays and misunderstandings. Relying heavily on digital communication tools can lead to overcommunication or miscommunication, making it challenging to maintain the same level of cohesion.
Managing Remote Teams Effectively - Managing remote teams requires a different approach than traditional office management. Leaders have to find new ways to keep team members motivated and engaged, and trust becomes a critical component. Virtual leadership requires different skills when digital communication tools are all we have.
The Office
For those who have been working remotely since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, they are in their 4th year. Many people are missing traditional office culture and are desperate to be around people on a daily basis again, but are not yet prepared to give up the benefits of working from home. Many people have relocated further from their work, and the idea of a long commute every day isn’t even close to appealing.
Some companies have tried new policies to mandate people to come into an office. I have heard of many employees being made to go back to the office for a set number of days every week by their company…only to then sit in an office on video conference calls all day!
I haven’t seen a successful new model yet, although when I see companies supplying lunch for their teams, offering skills or mindfulness sessions, I see a glimmer of hope. Organisations need to really answer the question of WHY it is better for employees to work from an office, and going in to ‘create culture’ just isn’t quite enough for most people.
When I think of this seemingly current issue, I am reminded of one of my old favourite TEDx talks by Jason Fried where he asks people “Where do you need to go when you need to get something done?” and finds that “You almost never hear someone say, ‘The office’”.
Maybe offices weren’t actually very successful before the pandemic but we just went to the office every day because we felt we had to.
The Future
So it seems that we haven’t really resolved how organisations, offices and people all fit together in today’s work culture. Which is a shame because for many of us our workplaces are being revolutionised by technology, and even more changes are coming soon. Future waves of Artificial Intelligence are likely to disrupt the office vs remote working debate even more.
AI technology will transform our understanding of what skills are important in the workplace, and may lead to rapid scaling up and down of workforces in some organisations. Does trust get challenged again with the potential for AI assistants carrying out a lot of work on behalf of members of staff? Will communication become easier through technology, or will it push us further apart as humans? Will the amplified convenience and efficiency offered reduce our need for human interaction?
When I think about what is coming over the next year or two, I can’t help wondering whether the whole remote vs office debate is focussing our attention on the wrong things. If we step back a little there might be some far bigger concepts of work we need to be getting a head start on.
Instead of trying to figure out where someone does their work, maybe we should be considering how we embrace new technology. If we get it right, maybe we can make the administrative side of work so seamless that we can have all of the benefits of office work and remote work under a new solution. Maybe if we figure it out, this next wave of technology can free us of some of the more laborious and stressful elements of work, and allow us to interact at work on a more human level than we have done for some time. Then maybe it really doesn’t matter whether we are working at home or in an office with thousands of other people.
Written by Russell