6 Ways to become the Workplace of Tomorrow – Today

Sun Tzu said many things concerning the art of war that are just as applicable to the art of business. For example, "In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.”  There are many aspects to the world today that we could describe as chaos, and in each there will be opportunity for those that care to look. 

One is the unavailability of staff. Companies are restricting their growth or turning away orders because they cannot produce fast enough. And while raw materials have been part of the issue over the last couple of years, the main issue now is a shortage of people. 

We constantly hear how companies cannot find employees, but we also hear about how people cannot find work.  A recent Deloitte study highlighted an interesting fact: Canadian data showed that while the number of vacancies approached 1m earlier this year, there were an equivalent number of people looking for work and wanting to work.  The issue is that these people are either not where the jobs are geographically, and/or they don't have the skills or background required by the company. 

It seems this imbalance might be an ongoing issue - rather than a pandemic blip.  Yes, the pandemic caused a lot of people to reevaluate their lives, and the Great Resignation was one sign of that. But overall, people still want to work and contribute to society, it's just that many are being a little more discerning about what they do; they want to work more 'on their terms'.  The Baby Boomer generation, who were very prepared to put company before all else (work hard), are well into their retirement phase, while at the other end of the 'workforce participation spectrum', the Gen Zs are prepared to work hard as long as it is meaningful work and doesn't come with a load of stress (work hard and smart). 

The nature of our workforce is changing; companies, and to some extent government policy, will need to adapt.  The jobs are there, the people are there - so how do we connect the two? 

There is no magic bullet solution to this, but the time to start the shift is now:

• In the short-term, you will need to ‘out-compete’ all the other companies searching for the people that have the skill and cultural fit that you need.  
• In the medium term, you can create the working culture or working environment that becomes part of the brand that people will want to work for.  
• In the longer-term, we may (and probably will) experience a global workforce transformation. No one expected the 'industrial revolution', but it happened, and it transformed the world. And now, that industrial approach is holding us back.   

So, here are a few ideas:

• Consider your recruitment more as a marketing activity rather than 'trying to fill a vacancy': [How to attract and hire staff post Covid].
• Value your candidates as much as you should value your employees: [Why would anyone ever work for you].
• Tap into your staff  motivation - easier to do when you have alignment of values [Hiring is a Competitive Sport]  and ensure you continue to attend to their needs to keep your people and their knowledge in house [Should I stay or should I go now]
• Don't be too prescriptive about the people you do want, or proscriptive about the people you don't want:  [When does a Square Peg fit Perfectly into a Round Hole]
• Automate - yes, I know there is a big debate about this. Humans are very good at problem identification and creative problem solving - whereas machines aren't.   Machines are very good at high accuracy, repetitive tasks - humans aren't.  Evolve to a work environment that makes best use of people and machines - it'll make a much more appealing place to work [Welcome to the Edge of Chaos] 
• There are companies that are experimenting with different ways of working; join them.  It is sometimes said that the ideal employee is in their mid-twenties with 30 years’ experience - of course such a person doesn't exist.  Maybe the answer is more flexible working arrangements; people of all generations can be highly productive - given the opportunity to work their way.  For example:  
• Retirement is an Industrial Revolution concept - many retirees want to continue to contribute - maybe just not 40 hours per week.
• The 4-day week is proving to be very effective for both companies and staff.  

The chaotic shift in the workforce is going to continue.  There is great opportunity in that - the successful companies of the near and longer term will be the ones that learn how to adapt.  Will you be part of the workforce revolution?

See you out there

Graham

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