New work: a simple guide to understand what is currently happening

Our work environment has been drastically reshuffled due to Covid-19. However, this recent vision of our work practices began before the pandemic. In fact, these new ways of working are the result of bigger changes that have occured over the last few decades. What factors are currently shifting our working environments? Hybrid work is not the only modern shift that we are experiencing in the workplace. Which other examples of New Way of Working - NWoW can we observe? deskbird, as a model of New Work, answers these questions!

What are the new patterns shaping new work? 

Multigenerational workforce

What do your employees' demographic profiles look like? Baby Boomers don’t have the same work patterns as Millennials or Generation Z. However, a multigenerational workforce is quite common and can be a real strength for any organisation. While older employees have more experience, younger team members bring value by promoting the benefits of advanced technology. 

‍"If you've ever witnessed a team spanning 50 or more years come together to solve a problem, you know that that's when the magic happens," said Bettina Deynes, SHRM-SCP, vice president of human resources for the Society for Human Resource Management.

However, managing people of different generations is not always easy, especially when it comes to change. Just imagine, you’ve been working in the same company and/or job position for the last 10 years and are used to doing your job a certain way. If it’s been working until now, why change? In this situation, it is not only key to listen to each other, but also to communicate about why you believe this new way of working is better for your employees and your business.

Technology

One of the main transformations that we are all experiencing at work as much as in our personal environment is the development of technology. It is everywhere, and constantly playing a bigger role in our daily lives.

Can you, for example, imagine a day without using your smartphones or the Internet? We can do our groceries and our shopping from our pc, people are watching more movies online than on TV or at the cinema, our watches are connected, and so on. In the workplace, Artificial Intelligence, automation, Machine Learning in addition to other advanced technologies are having a major impact on employee productivity. It can positively affect customer intelligence, talent acquisition, revenue decline, call centre intelligence, and talent retention. In short, they create a more efficient and productive environment, as a study of AT & T reveals:

• 78 % higher customer experience;
• 77 % higher operational efficiency;
• 73 % higher employee productivity;
• 71 % more business model innovation;
• 65 % growing market share.
  

It is proven that technology can help us perform our tasks but also communicate and work collaboratively. For example, hybrid work is made possible by tools such as Slack, Google Meet, deskbird desk booking app, etc. Not only do these tools make our lives easier, but they also help us embrace new approaches to working.

Flexibility

The movement leading to additional flexibility in the workplace started before the pandemic. Indeed, employees are now more focused on improving their well-being and finding a better work-life balance.

Covid-19 has boosted the importance and prevalence of the hybrid concept in our work environments. This has resulted in many employers noticing the benefits of work flexibility and therefore increasing willingness to create a new working model that is more employee-centric. Let’s see what the New Way of Working is and how it is helping workers to reach this goal.

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👉 Are you wondering how to create a workspace that enhances well-being and productivity? Read our article about office space planning to know more about it. 

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What does a new way of working mean?

There is a wave of change coming that will make the way we work almost beyond all recognition for today's business world. The recent patterns described above affect not only the way we work, but also many aspects of a company, such as employee profiles, management and daily tasks. Besides, the combination of all these transitions is leading to new working models. So what do we call the New Way of Working? 

It is an organisational change that is currently impacting most companies and is unavoidable as our relationship with work is evolving and technology continues playing an important part in our lives. The core idea aims at providing more flexibility to your workforce, decreasing employee turnover, modernising traditional working concepts thanks to technology such as Artificial Intelligence and automation.

NWoW also includes a shift in management and leadership. First, leaders’ roles in promoting new ways of working are crucial to encouraging a successful transition. Second, Human Resources are also highly concerned by this new vision of work and these recent patterns. Therefore, HR employees are required to adapt their recruitment methods as well as their HR management practices to today’s companies’ and workers’ requirements.

What are examples of new working concepts?

New ways of working are - positively - impacting various aspects of our work life. Here are a few examples of what is currently changing in many companies that are looking to modernise their practices.

A modern approach to working time

First, timetables are starting to look different. Employees don’t necessarily work from Monday to Friday and from 9 am to 6 pm. Instead, companies are adopting flexitime, allowing flexible working schedules. Team members are not working less but they perform at different times of the day according to their personal needs. The benefits of such adaptability are numerous, including enhancing a better work-life balance and productivity.

A new vision of the work location

Not only is it more common to be able to work from home, but the office layout is also changing. As an employer, you may need less space as fewer employees are coming to the office at the same time. This allows you to reduce your office space, to rethink the workspace design and to focus  more on what your workforce needs. In fact, the traditional one desk per person model is over. Today, your team members may require more shared workspaces, activity-based areas or quiet workstations when on-site.

A fresh start in terms of collaboration

Do you hire freelancers? Are your collaborators working based on a job-sharing concept? Well, those are actually some of the new kinds of collaborations that are shaping our New Way of Working. Workers are not always hired as permanent full-time employees anymore. Some might be working part-time while others are freelancing which allows more autonomy and flexibility. For example, two part-time team members might be operating on the same project which is called “job-sharing”. These types of collaborations offer more freedom to both employers and employees.

Industrial working practices are paving the way to new ways of working due to our technological evolution. This can be seen with the development of the home office but also with our office design. New Work is also reshuffling our working schedules with new concepts, such as home office for example. Last but not least, the fast development of technology requires leaders and employees to adapt, especially when part of an intergenerational team.

deskbird’s purpose is to assist hybrid companies to embrace those changes with its employee-centric desk booking software. It supports you in implementing hybrid work, managing hot-desking, flexible working hours arrangements and office space. It also provides relevant data about your employees’ working habits to help you focus on what they need.

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👉 Do you want to discover how the deskbird app works? Request a free demo from our team!