What if you no longer had a “bricks and mortar” work site – Could you still complete a good portion of your day-to-day responsibilities?  Imagine if the view from your computer went from cubicle city to beachfront sunrise?  What if your 8-5 company offered a 6am-3pm shift?

As business owners everywhere anticipate what’s now and what’s next in the changing world of work, it is quickly becoming very evident that creativity wins.  With a highly mobile workforce, changing demographics and more choices than ever before, companies are demanding more and individuals are demanding more.  What results is a competitive yet exciting time in strategic business planning.

What's next

Demographics, including the aging workforce and declining birth rates, combined with ever intensifying demand for more skills and better education, will make for an entirely new world of work.  Talent and skills shortages create a recruiting and retention challenge for organizations trying to compete.  In addition, an improved economy typically means higher employee turnover -- If the economy is performing well, more workers may take the opportunity to change jobs.  Consider this:  The average person in the U.S. holds around 9 jobs from age 18 to age 34.

Strategic HR – The Human Resource (HR) function is being asked to take a more strategic position in companies, with regard to recruitment and retention.  For example, companies are moving from traditional job requirements to an environment where HR is being asked to tie development, retention and performance management to revenue, company mission and profitability.  This will bode well with the “newer” workforce that desires a more Team-focused environment and the personal gratification of tying his/her role (contribution) directly to the success of the organization.

In addition to employee challenges, company demands are increasing – competition has gone from local to global; customers are demanding more for less; and business owners and stakeholders are demanding results.

So, what do you do in this changing world of work?

Think differently about work

Consider what you are expecting of yourself and your employees.  If you are expecting increased results, what can you provide as increased incentives?  It is an age-old goal to continuously “expect more” and in today’s competitive environment, it is critical, just to maintain status quo.  But in this time of recruiting and retention struggles, how do you “expect more” and still expect retention on a tight budget?  Consider that “incentives” do not necessarily equate to compensation.  Progressive organizations understand that the most important piece of the “incentive initiative” is to consider the value of the incentive – and by this, we mean the value to the recipient.  Keep in mind:  Incentives have no value if they have no value to the recipient.

The first step is to get to know your employees and, just as you would do with a client, find their hot buttons, their “pain”.  Step into their world for a day and discover what their best incentive “value” may be.

Google is a company that would easily be in the running for Top Incentive Provider.  Google’s California headquarters, not only provides the expected laid-back atmosphere, they also provide employees with workout facilities, massage rooms, lap pools and a variety of other stress-reducing amenities such as an onsite laundry, dry cleaner, and hair stylists!  In addition, the company’s “Google Café” provides 24-hour, complimentary dining (3 meals a day!).  …and then there are the roller hockey games in the parking lot twice a week!

Although Google may be the extreme, similar offerings (on a smaller scale) are the things that future employers will be considering, to attract and retain talent.  In addition, creative partnerships with other businesses and/or services may create a business-trade network that allows non-compensatory offerings that result in high-return productivity.  It is all about expectations and return.  Just as employees are evaluated on what they are bringing to the company, companies will need to consider what they are bringing to the employee – Consider this:  If your employees completed a Performance Appraisal on your company, would you receive a “Satisfactory” or “Exceeds Expectations”? 

Contemporary Working

The 8:00-5:00, Monday through Friday, put-on-a-suit-and-go-to-the-office world is changing.  Consider the couple that moves from their “typical” suburban home to a home on a small Caribbean island – one would initially think “retirement”.  However in this true scenario, thanks to technology, the husband’s career will continue as if he was sitting in his office in the U.S.  His wife, a teacher “back home”, will be looking forward to gaining a teaching position within the next year.  Although extreme, similar scenarios will not be uncommon in the years to come.

Today, 24 million salaried employees work at home at least one day a month; by 2015, it is estimated that 40 million salaried employees will be working at home at least once a week!

Think differently about work.

Does your company operate on an 8-5:00 schedule?  Why?  In this changing world of work, it’s important to question everything.  For example, companies are recognizing that the growing workforce of older demographics tend to be early risers, and are responding with an early-riser work shift of 6:30am to 2:30pm – In turn, expanding the productive working days of businesses everywhere.

In addition, discussions have already begun in some markets, to consider tax incentives to encourage both employers and employees to adopt “flex-space” to avoid traffic gridlock, conserve energy, and reduce air pollution.

The world is changing…and the working world as we know it will need to change right along with it.  Contemporary working –Look around you…It’s time to think differently about work.

		Elaine DeVlieger is the area manager for Manpower of Lansing.