The Strategic Impact of MODERN WORK

Labor Day in the US is a great moment to reflect on the State of Work right before business activity ramps up again after the summer.

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This Labor Day, let’s recognize and respond to the realities of MODERN WORK. Our highly-digitalized era of business and work is now evident since the Future of Work arrived in 2020 catalyzed by crisis-accelerated technology integration.

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Since we have emerged from the pandemic, adoption, adaptations, and utilization of new work approaches and capabilities has been uneven, uncoordinated, and generally tactical—much focused on employees’ work locations.

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Transformation to embrace MODERN WORK must be a strategic imperative across your organization. Your business can only be proactive, not reactive, if it is to remain competitive especially as new (AI-related) powerful technologies are impacting EVERYONE’s job and tasks.

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MODERN WORK is counterbalanced - tech-driven and talent-focused. The new system fundamentals are:

-???? Flexible frameworks that allow adjustments for ongoing external and internal evolution.

-??????? Digitized work processes that are designed (and iterated) to be relevant for your company.

-??????? Culture and values that connect, include, and guide your distributed community of workers.

-??????? Co-creation mindsets that empower collaborating workers to contribute value as “creators”.

-??????? Empathetic leadership with “power” (“soft”) skills to foster teamwork and support well-being.

-??????? Talent mobility facilitating non-linear careers across internal and extended networks.

-??????? Varied employment arrangements to accommodate more non-employees in your workforce.

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Core MODERN WORK principles are:

LEARNING – ongoing with a skills-first approach to sustain competitive capabilities.

INTENTION – proactive engagement, involving every worker as a creator or agent.

FLEXIBILITY – enabling operational, team, and individual optimization of outcomes.

EMPATHY – human-centric skills to work across silos, locations, generations, and situations.

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MODERN WORK is a mosaic of technology, human relationships, and professional and personal growth. As we move forward this fall, it's essential to embrace change, be adaptable, and continuously update our skills to thrive in this dynamic environment. These elements are at the core of MODERN WORK.

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For months, work-related agitation has been noticeable:

-??????? Millions changing employer monthly;

-??????? High percentages of unengaged employees;

-??????? Significant non-adherence to mandated office-based days;

-??????? Renewed union activism and strikes.

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To alleviate the tension and reduce employment-related friction, we can update our mindsets and approaches to align with our (existing) digitally-advanced work environments. A fundamental strategic review of work is an essential next step.

How have technology changes impacted your working life since March 2020? What strategic overview has your organization undertaken so far? What helpful insights have you discovered and acted upon? I look forward to hearing your thoughts and insights.

If you are interested to find out more about MODERN WORK, strategic review sessions, flexible frameworks, modern mindsets, human-centric ways of working, and more, please reach out to me, as well as check out my book “Empathy Works: The Key to Competitive Advantage in the New Era of Work”. You can also take a look at my new LinkedIn video courses including?Engaging and Retaining Gen Z with a Skills-first Approach?and my popular podcast “Transforming Work with Sophie Wade”. The next episode will discuss how AI will dramatically change our work and world over the next 20 to 50 years!