Conditions Shaping the Future of Work and Change
How will organizations evolve to incorporate new capabilities from the Involuntary Digital Transformation and the lessons learned during the Instantaneous Remote Work Experiment? Those are the future of work phrases flipped in this newsletter.
12 Conditions Shaping the Future of Work
As we pass the two-year anniversary of a fundamental shift of our collective landscape, I have been reflecting on the conditions of organizations today that will shape the future of work. We know the last 24 months have been filled with pain, struggle, growth and learning. What new capabilities have you and your team grown in the pandemic because you had to? What have you done since March 2020 that you would have said was impossible in February 2020? What have you missed most while we were forced “apart” that you cannot wait to reclaim when we are “together” again?
In this special series of Phrase Flipping, we are going to offer up observations on 12 conditions that describe some of the underlying shifts resulting from the pandemic that must be incorporated into future plans and strategies. These conditions – in the form of flappable phrases – emerged from a volume of engagement and observation with organizations first responding to the pandemic and then shifting, a varying rates, to re-imaging what is in front of us. These conditions are not meant to be exhaustive or prescriptive, but rather a way to capture and describe universal experiences related to the future of work in a uniquely accessible way.
The 12 conditions influencing the future of work we will explore in the series are:
This first edition will address Involuntary Digital Transformation and Instantaneous Remote Work Experiment. Note: These 12 conditions form the foundation of several keynotes I’ve delivered on Leading Change, Tomorrow; Organizational Agility as a Strategic Imperative; and Activating Change Ecosystems. Message me or more information.
#1 Involuntary Digital Transformation
Following years of Technology and Information Officers talking about a transformation while focusing primarily on the 0s and 1s of the digital revolution, in a matter of days and weeks the world embarked on the involuntary digital transformation. Offices and operations moved to be network-centric and place-agnostic. Technology roadmaps were accelerated by years if not decades. Simply look to the rapid adoption of telehealth for evidence of this digital transformation that was thrust (involuntarily) upon many. Those organizations that had laid an initial foundation for the pending transformation had an advantage. At Prosci, we had begun a serendipitous early adoption of Microsoft Teams that provided at least the framework for early communication and collaboration as we moved a headquarter-centric organization fully remote.
The thought experiment I do around the involuntary digital transformation is this: What would have happened if, not in the face of a global pandemic, the firm had been given 30 days to pivot to completely online operations and delivery? While I’m not a betting man, I would put money on the fact that on day 90, we would be 60 days from go live (and already 60 days late), we would have come up with 100 reasons why it was impossible, and we would have broken it 15 different ways. Not a knock on us, just being realistic about the mountain to climb. But – we made it happen. In the second week of March 2020, at Prosci we shifted a headquarter-centric, in-person training business to a remote office in 1.5 days and started our first ever virtual instructor-led certification program two days later.
What new capabilities did you and your organization grow as a result of the involuntary digital transformation? What were you able to make happen because it was involuntary and rapid? What aspects will you absolutely keep as part of your organization? And, as we step back into shared and hybrid space, how will you continue to improve the communication and collaboration made possible by the involuntary digital transformation?
#2 Instantaneous Remote Work Experiment
Enabled by the involuntary digital transformation, massive amounts of work moved from on premises to off premises. Some work stayed on premises – the essential work – but massive majorities of employees and work ended up in living rooms and at kitchen tables. People who normally occupied offices or campuses or shops for 30-80 hours per week were now working from home. Freeways normally loaded with commuters absorbing hours of podcasts and audiobooks sat empty, or nearly empty. Food trucks normally slinging handheld grub to employees walking a downtown block on their lunches were shuttered. Work moved home. Oh, and so did education. Children, typically occupied by learning, activity and socialization from 8ish to 3ish, moved home for varying levels of ‘education’ occurring remotely (especially in the early days).
The space we occupied shrunk dramatically, and our “workplace” became whatever place we were holed up. Personally, I used to travel, admittedly too much, for my job: keynotes, workshops, training programs, collaborative sessions, conferences, client visits. My on-premises work took place in a variety of different places. Like many of you, I had hotel chain carpet patterns memorized and could navigate the airport parking, check in, security and the terminal with my else closed. Then, my workplace became my house. As did my neighbors, and their neighbors. It’s actually quite remarkable to think about how well the residential internet infrastructure held up when the load it was carrying increased exponentially with Zoom meetings, Netflix binges, and Fortnite sprees.
So many of our long-held beliefs and concerns were cast aside, literally overnight. The office is where I need to be to do most of my work. Turns out, it wasn’t. I need to be able to watch my employees to know if they are being productive. Turns out, I don’t. A 3-day intensive, immersive program needs the surrounding environment to foster the transformational experience. Once again, not the case.
In the wake of the instantaneous remote work experiment, we unshackled “work” from “place” in a way that we previously had the ability but not the willingness to. How will you take these newfound capabilities forward?
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Coming up
The upcoming special editions will unpack the remaining 10 conditions that are shaping organizations and change as we move from pandemic response to re-imagining the organizations we want to work in and for in the future.
Please share your observations about the impacts of the Involuntary Digital Transformation and the Instantaneous Remote Work Experiment in the comments.
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Tim Creasey | Chief Innovation Officer | Prosci
@timcreasey | https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/timcreasey
Tim Creasey is an author, researcher, and change expert who focuses on the people side of change with process, wit, and vigor. Tim’s work forms the foundation of the world’s largest body of knowledge on change management and his role as Chief Innovation Officer at Prosci gives him unparalleled insight into change management challenges, trends, and futures. Having spoken to thousands of change agents around the globe, Tim is authentic, knowledgeable, and unassumingly funny - equipping audiences with valuable data and actionable insights.
Please help me extend the impact of these phrases and my own "why" of helping make the challenges of change unlockable by:
Continuous Improvement
2 年I’ve noticed greater inclusion of remote and city based teams in the mining/resources space. The increased adaptation to video teams meetings as a form of social distancing is invaluable but ultimately entirely convenient for remaining current across the business proper. I squirmed and wriggled in my initial and predictable human discomfort regarding the change but am also mailable and have adjusted to my surroundings. My take away is that personally, I am now enjoying the challenge and the opportunities for becoming more neuroplastic in response to the pandemic. I’m 60 soon and the adage about teaching old dogs new tricks seems sooo last century to me. There will come a time, however, when I will power down and step off the autowalk. For now though, I’m enjoying high level collaborative culture that is emerging which values prioritisation as a means to keep delivering at speed.
Chief People Officer / People & Culture Leader / Transformation & Change Agent / Communication Lead / Engagement Lead / Industrial & Employee Relations Specialist
2 年Having recently had the benefit of your virtual accreditation program, I must say that your ability to pivot to a very high level of remote delivery is highly impressive! What we may have assumed pre-COVID to be a "lesser" experience we now realise can work as well, or even better, depending on your circumstances and individual needs. There are a lot of lessons from our responses to COVID that I think we are all glad to learn. Thank you for sharing - I look forward to the rest of the series.
Very helpful. Thanks Tim
Organisational Development Strategist |Change Management| Stakeholder Communication Expert
2 年It’s impressive how many companies turned to WFH state. In regular conditions even the digital transformation of a small fraction of a company would take much much longer and would face resistance of a certain number of employees. In contrast, a massive involuntary digital transformation took place with almost no resistance from employees. If there was resistance to this digital transformation was from companies’ leadership side that was afraid of the successful ongoing of their business. Maybe, the fact that the pandemic operated as a strong shock to economies and work places, led employees to consider digital transformation as a chance of keeping their current status (being employed) instead of a threat that they would consider it otherwise (under regular circumstances). Great article Tim Creasey
Specialized Post-Incident Project Manager
2 年Love this “The office is where I need to be to do most of my work. Turns out, it wasn’t.” It never was for me, but it blended my worlds in a way that I had to grow accustomed to in order to be my best and most effective self.