The future of work is flexible. How do we overcome the challenges and thrive?

People are no longer just thinking about why they work but how they work. The pandemic has given many of us a glimpse into the possibilities of remote work, and the opportunities that come with it. Workers are now calling for greater flexibility and work-life balance as they enter the post-pandemic era.

The same sentiment rings through from my conversations with family, friends and colleagues — “When was the last time you went to the office? How many days a week are you allowed to go back? Why can’t I just work-from-home forever?”. Even as the situation around the world continues to evolve, one thing holds true — workplaces won’t return to the way they were.?

This year, to better understand how business leaders and professionals were feeling about the future of work, we commissioned two separate research studies. What we found (perhaps unsurprisingly) is that in APAC, the workplace will become, undoubtedly, flexible. Across the board, they seek a sweet spot of spending 3-4 days in the office, and 1-2 days working from home.?

Businesses and workers alike recognise and value the benefits that come with flexibility at work. 80 percent of business leaders across the region believe that offering increased flexibility will positively impact their company’s culture, and 74 percent feel that flexible working can lead to greater diversity of the workforce.?

Workers across Singapore, India, Australia and Japan, too, agree that hybrid work has improved their mental and physical health, not to mention their personal relationships. Now, they have more control over their schedules, can pursue self-care by exercising more and eating healthier meals and, most of all, spend quality time with their loved ones.?

But this flexibility doesn’t come without challenges. Almost a third of all leaders fear that interpersonal relationships and team morale will take a hit, with employee disengagement also among the top concerns especially in Singapore (36%) and Australia (31%). On the other hand, workers are concerned over the negative stigma associated with working from home, and that the lack of face-time might stunt their career growth and professional development.?

In order to thrive in the future world of work, we must meet these challenges head on. As business leaders look to make flexible work arrangements successful in the long-run, they must recognise the need to empower their employees with the tools they need to succeed.?

• The stigma around flexible working arrangements is something that needs to be addressed. Our data shows that some employees feel that their professional growth and development would be negatively impacted when working from home. In India, 56 percent of respondents believe there is a negative stigma associated with working from home, and almost half of respondents (49%) in Singapore thought that the lack of face-time with their boss and senior team would slow their career growth. As leaders, we can begin to change this by relooking at employee engagement, development opportunities and career progression through a new lens — one that puts people first and not location.
• Collaboration and communication is key to success. In Australia, Singapore and Japan, business leaders are already focused on enabling stronger communication and teamwork. In total, close to 75 percent of leaders have already introduced, or are planning to introduce, training courses that facilitate collaboration and keep employees’ skills up-to-date.?
• We can help to foster a conducive working environment at home. This means providing employees with a suitable office set up, and helping them to adopt the skills they need to work remotely. 66 percent of business leaders in India, and more than half of leaders in Australia and Singapore, recognise the importance of equipping staff with technology skills to navigate remote work.??
• When it comes to creating flexibility in the workplace, company culture can make all the difference. It’s not just about the policies an organisation implements, but also fostering a culture of trust. At LinkedIn, we’re going to be embracing a more flexible approach to work — based on trust — which gives every employee and team the autonomy to decide what kind of home-office split works best for them. More often than not, you’ll find that people tend to be self-motivated to hit goals and deadlines when working in an environment where they feel trusted and valued — which also works great for business outcomes.??

To support businesses and workers in this future of work, we have rolled out these new features.?

• New #OpenToWork filters to attract relevant opportunities: Professionals can now use filters for remote, hybrid, or onsite roles within Job Search and the #OpenToWork feature on their profiles. They can also use these filters to set relevant job alerts and preferences for the way they want to work, especially as the professional landscape prepares for a flexible working environment.

• Highlight vaccination norms and work policies via Company Pages: Employers will now be able to highlight office policies, benefits, vaccination requirements via Company Pages to attract the best hires, comfortably. Professionals can use this to gain more insight into workforce policies on Company Pages, so they can learn more about the companies they are interested in.

• ?All-new Services Marketplace to manage freelance projects effectively: LinkedIn has launched a new ‘Services Marketplace’ for professionals who seek more flexibility than what a traditional job can offer. Freelancers, contractors, and small business owners can now set up their Service Page directly from their profile, manage their projects, and promote specific skills and services of their businesses.

It may take some time for us to iron out all the kinks, but I’m confident that we’re on our way to a more flexible future of work, one that is good for employees and for business. This may look different for everyone, but what matters is that we are willing to listen to what people need, and be open enough to explore new possibilities. I, for one, have been grateful to be able to spend more time with my children and prioritise my mental health during this time.?

I’d love to hear your thoughts, please do share them in the comments below.