I was recently reading two articles with great interest, on how millennials are sparking work changes; and how empathy has become interwoven as a “skill” in the workplace. I am glad to see the growing focus on the “Future of Work” and how we prepare for the business take-off in 2021.
Today, I would like to cover three areas in the Future of Work,” hoping that we will start a dialogue so that we can all learn:
Topic 1—Generations in the work force of the future
We are increasingly faced with the fact that at least 3 generations are facing each other in companies today: the baby boomers, the millennials and the centennials. What issues do we have to deal with?
The young ones want to become the biggest asset of your company
In dealing with them, we have to be brave and think out of the box
We have to find ways to dream jointly, inspire a team, be different, accept work changes, take risks and lead change
As baby boomers we have no choice to embrace the millennials and centennials.
You agree?
Topic 2—Move over millennials, here come the centennials
Many companies complain about unrealistic expectations of millennial workers and that millennials are sometimes difficult to manage and likely to quit at a moment’s notice. As mentioned above, we have to realize that millennials want work changes; if these changes are not allowed, they will take the consequences…
Generation Z—born into the Age of Information, are not only digital natives; they are a generation born into a flux of very fast technological advancement, heightened digital consumption, and hyper connectivity
Centennials believe that the things that they own reflect the kind of people they want to be and the ideal world they want to create; as such they expect brands to be aligned with their personal values before they want to be employed and invest their time and creativity in the brands’ products and services development
We need the right combination of high-tech and high-touch in human relations to attract and keep the right people; sustainable products and services and integrity and ethics are high on their agenda. And as indicated above, empathy is the skill of the future, needed in growing an innovation mindset in an organization as it helps business leaders to come up with better solutions.
You agree?
Topic 3: Is there a middle ground between employment and entrepreneurship?
How can internal entrepreneurship ensure business growth momentum?
Intrapreneurship is a very good way to encourage entrepreneurship inside the organization, but leaders have to be courageous
Creativity is not a product; we need somebody to take the creation and make it into a product
Promoting entrepreneurship will advance the goal of sustainability but it has to be a collective effort
Business leaders should help their teams develop an innovation mindset, understanding clearly that we all have to reframe challenges into opportunities
You agree? If you do, let’s complicate matters a bit:
Topic 3b—Navigating the GIG economy
Companies are starting to embrace the new work setup and are employing freelancers for certain projects or tasks
It is important for organizations to strike a balance between keeping a regular set of full-time employees and hiring remote experts as consultants for specific tasks and specific times, as we are living in a volatile, complex and ambiguous world
Most freelancers want to become “solopreneurs”!
You still agree?
I sincerely hope for plenty of feedback so that we can all learn as we move forward; contact me at hjschumacher59@gmail.com