All of us, at the time, await to anticipate our future in all spheres of life. Work occupies a predominant space in our life, and subconsciously we like to dwell about what the future would look like and what it holds for us.
We are immensely interested in what the future holds for us in the workspace. It is a thought that never gets outdated and is probably among the top 100 most searched concepts on the Internet. It is valuable to our work life because it helps us understand what to expect, what we should do to stay competitive, what are potential threats, the different ways we can enjoy and be happy, and how we can contribute to the profession and community.
This is how the future of work will be evolving till 2026:
- Digital literacy to be the core competency – Gone are the days when knowledge about computers, software, and systems was a privilege. A significant portion of work will be through the human-robot-artificial interface. Majority of the companies will shift to digital platforms, and hence, digital literacy will be part of core competency in the future.
- Reforms in the education system. De-linkage between education and professional qualifications – Post COVID-19 pandemic, the education sector has undergone a tremendous shift. It has made people re-think the need for education as a qualification per se and return on investment. In the coming times, people will focus on pursuing professional courses over undergraduate and graduate certificates.
3. Mental health will be the primary driver of holistic well-being – Since 2020, mental health is an emerging need for employee welfare. Mental well-being means taking care of one’s emotional safety and security and attend to issues related to lonely work environments. Remote working has long acknowledged ignored aspects of physiological burnout. Mental health will remain the top priority of employee well-being and we can expect structured assistance programs in this regard.
How will employee engagement unfold?
4. Hybrid workspaces – Remote working is here to stay, hence we will have employees working from the office and remotely. Hybrid workspaces will bring a healthy work-life balance. At the same time, it will be demanding for business leaders to generate performance, maintain excellent customer service and keep the innovation on track. It would also test the success of project-based work, wherein there are complex deliverables, multilayered interfaces, and co-working between various vendors.
5. Social media will be a strong influence for employee engagement – The growth of social media platforms has been enormous in the last 2 years. The active and new users on various social media platforms have increased substantially. Due to this, professionals can understand market, industry, and company practices in a transparent way. There will have an impact on individual employee engagement as professionals will tend to compare their experience with market norms. Companies will need to invest energy to keep their employees engaged at the times!
How will the roles change?
6. HR transformation from business partner role to Influencer! – The human resources professionals will need to think, act and energize themselves for a transformed role. The business landscape has changed, and so HR professionals’ roles will get a lot more demanding. They will act as influencers to senior leaders, shape the company culture, participate in strategic decisions, drive the change by making the workforce agile and adaptable and revisit the current HR structure. HR professionals will go beyond their business partner role and will emerge as “Influencers” for the company.
7. The entrepreneurial spirit will lead to workplace innovations – Post COVID-19 pandemic, we may not expect employees to think and behave the way they used to do in pre-pandemic times. The tough times have made a few of us more reflective about the fact viz. “Why are we working and to what extent can our current company support us?” Lots of companies had to take adverse employment measures like salary cuts, enforced annual/unpaid leaves, and longer working hours during the pandemic. Employees accepted these directives as they had limited options. However, the emotional bondage is affected and we can expect a rise in entrepreneurial spirit. Professionals are willing to take risks in thinking differently about their careers. The entrepreneurial spirit will generate possibilities and will lead to innovations at work.
In conclusion, we are fortunate to be part of the future of work post-pandemic. I am excited to watch how these factors unfold and impact our workspaces! So let’s get ready and enjoy the game!
Happy reading!
Also read: Is Having a Plan B Important?
