The Opportunity to Take Job Ownership to Another Level ??

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The future workplace is characterised by flexibility and empowerment. Changing societal expectations, and the evolving needs of employers and employees mean companies today must adapt to the complexities of the digital age:

• FROM: Traditional hierarchies TO: Agile, employee-centric structures.
• FROM: Centralised decision making TO: Autonomy, and adaptability.

Contrasted with traditional job structures, narrowly defined roles lead to diminished motivation, lower productivity.

Over time, an erosion of employee identity.

How can organisations enable individuals to leverage their strengths and ignite their creativity? With the prevalence of digital jobs and the de-modularisation of work, c???????? ?????????????????? ???????????? ?????????? ?????? ?????????

???????? ?????????????????????????? ???????? ???????? ?????? ?????????? - ?????? ???????? ???????? ?????????? ?????? ???????? ????????.

Same as you would customise your favourite beverage - what would job customisation entail? Broadly, it would look at two things:

1. The ?????????????? of HOW the job is done,
2. The ?????????????? of WHAT the job entails.

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The notion of ?????????????? speaks to cultivating a culture of trust and ownership into the employee's role. Some companies have practiced this for some time:

• ????????????'?? ????% ????????: Employees dedicate a portion of their workweek to pursue passion projects outside of their core responsibilities and drive meaningful contributions to the organisation.
• ????’?? ????% ??????????????: Employees set aside a portion of their work time to proactively cultivate and pursue innovative ideas.
• ????????????'?? ?????????????????????? ???????????? ??????????????: Buffer, a social media management platform, has practiced radical transparency since 2013 by sharing its salary formula with applicants and employees. This formula takes into account factors such as role, experience, and location and encourages employees to take ownership for their career.

"Because pay at Buffer is transparent, the business doesn’t have an adjusted pay gap when comparing people in the same roles. “Whether you’re male or female, if you’re in the same position, you’re going to make exactly the same amount,” Jenny Terry, Director of Business Operations, Buffer

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Role customisation is a newer concept. It goes beyond conventional job design.

Based on an article by MIT Sloan School of Management, job customisation provides individuals with "the opportunity to tailor their roles, tasks, and interactions to align with their personal strengths, passions, and values."         

The same MIT article identifies 3 components to consider for individuals:

1. ?? ???????? ????????????????: Change the nature or type of tasks performed.
2. ?? ???????????????????? ????????????????: Alter the extent of interactions with others at work.
3. ?? ?????????????????? (????????????) ????????????????: Reframe the role to focus on aspects that best align with your values and passions.

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The key?????????????????? ?????? ?????????????? ?????????????? ????????????????, ?????? ???????????????????? ???? ?????? ???????????????????????? ???? ?????? ????????. Alongside the prevalence of remote jobs that are performed at a distance, it is also important to consider risks - work isolation, fairness and having the reinforcing mechanisms (e.g. progressive performance management systems, targeted #career check-ins) in place.

Autonomy happens naturally when individuals want to take ownership to align their personal goals with organisational objectives (the role).

Whether you are an employee, a people manager, or a leader of teams - if you are at the intersection of how to leverage Creativity, Purpose & Strengths to unleash your (team's) potential, the opportunity to experiment is fascinating.

What are your thoughts around job customisation? Does Context matter more than Content? I'll love to hear your thoughts below.

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