The pandemic altered daily life and business operations, but it also rewired a key aspect of the employment landscape: how people like to work. As restrictions are lifted across the world and businesses can return to somewhat normal, organizations have noticed some resistance from their staff. More people want to maintain the flexibility they had during lockdowns.

Experts are calling this initial shift in perspective the first step in creating the “workplace of the future.” Companies won’t be able to hold on to their past ideals for long. They’ll have to adapt to changing employee needs and desires to keep attracting top talent.

At Building Champions, we believe it’s about relationships and results. You shouldn’t prioritize numbers over what your team members need. In this new world, however, there is an approach that caters to both.

What Are Employees Asking For?

The future of work is in the hands of employees, so it’s critical that organizations understand exactly what they’re asking for. 

A common misunderstanding is that people are looking for total freedom and a completely remote work environment. This is not the case. In fact, most people do want to go back to the office, they just also want to maintain some level of the flexible work schedule they’ve enjoyed the past two years. 

According to a Steelcase Research poll, 54% of US workers say they expect to work from home only one day a week. 

In addition to hybrid work, people are asking for a more out of the office environment. To feel confident going back to a traditional style, employees have three top priorities:

1. Safety – People are looking for enough distance between workspaces and regular cleaning practices to feel safe sharing office space with coworkers again.

2. Community – Working at home was a dream come true for some, but others missed connecting with their teams in person. Employees are looking for organizations that prioritize the employee experience by creating opportunities to interact with others.

3. Support – Everyone wants to do their best work, so people need work environments that promote productivity. Employees are looking for companies that are attentive to mental health and offer support for the challenges remote workers face.

You can see that employees aren’t asking companies to completely rethink long-standing working arrangements. They’re simply looking for a better work-life balance and a company culture that prioritizes people over productivity.

What This Means for the Future Workplace

This new focus on safety, community and support will have a significant impact on the jobs people are willing to take and the organizations they’re willing to be a part of. This leaves companies with the task of matching the curve if they want to continue attracting top talent.

Experts predict that in the next 3-5 years, the employment landscape will change significantly through three major shifts.

More Flexibility

This applies to work hours, location and even the layout of an office. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, 82% of companies say they’re ready to allow employees to work remotely “at least sometimes.” Others are embracing the possibility of fully remote work for their teams.

Meanwhile, organizations with in-office staff are finding new ways to address their employees’ top three concerns. They’re redesigning personal workspaces and meeting rooms to allow for more space, accessibility and collaboration among their teams. 

Tactics like switching from cubicles to open floor plans and including open areas for meetings instead of enclosed spaces are designed to help employees choose where and how they’re most productive in the office.   

Increased Focus on Health and Safety

Both physical and mental health have been at the forefront of pandemic concerns since 2020. Many organizations are adjusting their internal operations and policies to address these issues head-on. 

The SHRM study noted 83% of executives say they “plan to hire more people for health and safety roles.” Additionally, 72% of companies say they plan to improve their mental health offerings. This marks a significant shift in response to employees’ biggest concern. 

Employees Expecting More 

With so many companies fighting to close wage gaps, people are now looking for more than just a paycheck. They want more from companies. They want leadership that cares about their professional success. 

Empathy is the most important leadership skill in the future workplace. People need leaders who are willing to coach them to something greater and develop their skills as they grow. There will be a need for heightened employee engagement to battle the struggles of remote work and it has to come from company leadership.

The world of work is changing. To access the highest level of the talent pool, companies and leaders have to change with it.

How You Can Adjust

Organizations can’t change overnight. It will take a focused effort from company leadership to develop sustainable ways to accommodate new employee concerns and priorities. Among all the options for change, we believe the following three adjustments are the most important.

Rethink Your Leadership Style

A results-focused approach to leadership won’t cut it as the new workplace becomes more commonplace. Leaders also have to consider their team members’ needs. That’s why we recommend using a Coaching Leadership style.

As a Coaching Leader, managers and supervisors prioritize their team’s success along with the company’s. They lead with empathy and encourage each member of the team to reach their full potential through skill development and leadership training. It helps to change your company culture to one of belonging. 

Build a Community

Operating in a remote role has left many people craving connection, so work should be a place where they feel a sense of belonging. Organizations should start making an extra effort to foster community among their teams. 

Find ways to engage employees through group activities, team building and professional development. Leaders can also encourage collaboration to foster relationships among team members while also maintaining productivity.

Address morale with remote employees

Going forward, it will be critical for organizations to remember the stresses that accompany remote workers. Whether they switch to a hybrid work model or have some employees who are fully remote, it’s important to find ways to bring them into the fold of the organization.

A few ways to include remote team members in in-office operations are:

• Use video conferencing to bring them into team meetings.

• Offer online training and professional development opportunities that your in-house team accesses at the office.

• Prioritize weekly one-on-one meetings to ensure they have the tools and resources they need and are feeling confident and capable in their work.

Above all else, find opportunities to allow those team members to interact with the rest of the team in person. This helps them to form connections with coworkers and feel more engaged in the company culture, even if they spend most of their time out of the office.

Build a Workplace of the Future

Employees are demanding change in the workplace. Don’t let your company fall behind the curve. Become the change workers are looking for by offering a flexible environment, creating a community and using Coaching Leadership in your organization.

Schedule a call with us to learn how becoming a coaching leader will help you develop the workplace of the future and attract top talent to your organization.