By Theuns Kotze
Long before the pandemic, people speculated about the future of work, and whether it would be more flexible and remote, or whether we’d simply work less. When Covid-19 hit, many organizations had no choice but to adapt and rapidly shift ways of working. From working remotely to technology being embedded in all aspects of our jobs, to simply encouraging discouraging presenteeism when people were unwell, work fundamentally shifted during that period. In India, both employers and employees redirected their attention towards health and well-being for an improved work/life balance. At the same time, many firms have been advocating for a mandatory return to the office.
It’s understandable that business leaders may prioritize the benefits of being in the office or be concerned about productivity linked to worker absence. But as recent BSI research into people’s priorities shows, there may be a disconnect between what people want from work and what employers are currently delivering.
Even without Covid-19, the impact of technology, especially AI, means that how we do our jobs in the future was never going to be the same. We are only at the start of the AI transformation, which has the potential to be as radical a shift as the industrial revolution. Now is the moment to consider strategies to support meaningful careers and sustainable work throughout everyone’s lifetime and think in depth about what can be put in place to ensure individuals can thrive and remain productive throughout their career.
Those strategies will differ between businesses, sectors, and countries, but in all cases, collaboration between employers and their employees sits at the heart of this. What matters is listening to the workforce and finding out what matters to them. For Evolving Together: Flourishing in the age-diverse workforce, we spoke to senior professionals from nine countries, spanning seven sectors, about what they wanted to see in the future. What emerged was that they prioritized structural shifts – how, where and when work is done, the economic realities and career pathways, formal leave policies. People also want their employers to play a role in health and well-being, whether via workplace schemes or simply ensuring schedules allow for regular checkups to maintain physiological and mental health. This was particularly important for workers of all ages in India.
When it comes to physical and psychological health, there is both the matter of work-related risks and the impact of the work itself, and then personal physical and mental health improvements. Organizations can offer training on common mental illnesses, ways to improve mental health, or provide specific advice for key issues such as financial well-being.
Alongside staying healthy, the other factor business leaders highlighted was flexibility, primarily around where, where, and how much we work – and secondly around caring responsibilities. Not every job can be done part-time or remotely, but employers who want to retain talented people have the opportunity to look at how they can innovate job design, move frontline workers to new roles, or offer changes to schedules.
Individuals and policymakers also have a role to play. The former can take ownership of their work span, by taking up opportunities for training or retraining, or making use of workplace health and well-being schemes. At the same time, policymakers can partner with businesses and create the right conditions for a productive workforce over the long-term.
While there may be some disparities between what individuals want and what organizations are providing, these are not insurmountable. Many businesses and employees thrived against the odds during Covid-19. As working dynamics shift once again in response to demographic changes, technology and new expectations from people, there is an opportunity for businesses to think about this future and prepare for it.
(The author is Theuns Kotze, Managing Director, BSI Group India Private LTD., and the views expressed in this article are his own)
