For years, there has been mounting tension between the old-school thinking and new ways of working. Companies have talked about becoming more lenient in terms of work and collaborating among teams for as long as the Internet has been in existence. With the increase of mobile technology, came the shedding of the stereotypical 9 to 5 grind. Instead of giving lip service to such ideas, the corporate world needs to be ready to adapt or risk losing their competitive edge with employees and customers.
More companies are focusing on the outcome rather than time spent. No longer is it about what you can do within 40 to 50 hours each week, but rather the end result of one’s efforts. The entire concept of a 40-hour work week doesn’t “work” for everyone anymore. Trust has become the new norm, and the four-day work week is now the “in” thing. As more companies realize the benefit of a flexible schedule, a four-day work week could soon be a reality for employees worldwide. Not only does this amount of time lessen the amount of stress on employees, but they enter the job each day with more energy and optimism, which leads to a better work turnout.
Companies have finally realized that for employees to think outside the box, they can’t continue to work inside one. Open office spaces utilize “out of the box” thinking and increase efficiency and productivity. Open floor plans, lounge-style chairs and other modern amenities are turning even professional offices into studio environments that leave plenty of room for ideas and productivity to flow.
Along with new office designs, many companies are pushing to make work spaces more comfortable by adding amenities such as kitchens and rest areas. Some corporations have gone as far as to build game rooms for employees to blow off steam when they have free time.
Being able to work from the comfort of your bed used to be something we could only dream about, but with all the advancements in modern technology, employees are no longer forced to live out their careers in a single city.
Working remotely will allow employees to access company information with ease, as well as correspond with other employees more effectively than before while working in locations around the globe. With more emphasis on the work-personal life balance, companies are giving their employees more flexibility with their work schedules. Furthermore, the ability to work remotely has increased productivity and overall satisfaction across the board.
In 2016, the way companies hire fire and manage their businesses will be like never before. The workplace landscape is changing at the speed of light and with it comes the ability to revolutionize the way we do business.
