Embracing new ways of working for the future workforce

If companies across the region are serious about remaining competitive and relevant they need to step out of their comfort zone and embrace new ways of working sooner rather than later.

Globally the way we all work is changing at an exponential rate. The advancement of technology now allows us to work from almost anywhere. It allows us to instantly communicate with customers and colleagues. It allows us to access company resources remotely meaning being confined to an office is no longer necessary. Where you work is no longer that important. It’s more about what you actually do than from where you actually do it.

Digital Nomads are a prime example of this. Also known as ‘location independent workers’ this growing tribe of experienced professionals prefer to work remotely making use of shared spaces, rented accommodation and Internet cafés in which they do their work from wherever in the world they happen to be. Organisations around the world benefit greatly from the work these flexible workers do without them having to accommodate the additional headcount in house.

Having this freedom to work on a range of projects and even working for multiple clients at the same time will be a growing trend over the coming years. Robin Chase, co-founder of ZipCar, sums it up by saying “My father had one job in his lifetime, I will have six jobs in my lifetime, and my children will have six jobs at the same time.” Our children will be working in a world very different to the one we are in right now. Future generations will demand more flexibility and companies will have to adapt to accommodate this.  

Here in the UAE, there many companies who’ve become accustomed to working in a specific way for years. Some even seem to accept they will have high hiring costs as they follow this insane path of hiring when busy and simply firing when quiet. It could be argued that these companies are set in their ways and they may ask why they should change. Well, companies that are not willing to look at new ways of working will soon find themselves unable to compete and eventually absent from the landscape. Kodak is an overused example but it works well to demonstrate what happens when you don’t embrace change – you become irrelevant, quickly.

According to the Dubai SME report “The state of Small and Medium Enterprises in Dubai”, SMEs account for 95% of establishments in Dubai. Often these companies are presented with a tough choice when it comes to needing additional resources. Engaging flexible resources could be the answer. Having more flexibility and scalability to the way in which they operate is key to their success.

Traditionally outsourcing has generally been reserved for large projects where full teams are required to handle a full service for a client. IT and customer service are examples of this. At the other end of the scale companies may have reached for flexible support when they have needed cover for an employee who has been unable to work. However, there is a middle ground. Amazing talent is all around us. There are highly skilled and experienced individuals in every city and every town around the world who are able to provide their skills and services to clients in a more flexible, less traditional way. Companies who tap into this talent pool will be the ones who reap the benefits and the rewards. 

This article recently featured in the May 2017 edition of Gulf Business magazine.