Alternative work is becoming mainstream, companies are learning to manage the employee experience and capitalizing on what matters to society.For years, companies have looked at freelancing and outsourcing as “alternative” – a kind of addition to full-time employment. Companies today must learn to strategically manage such employees. Given the growing shortage of skilled workers in many countries, the use and management of alternative labor resources will be an important factor in driving business growth. Freelancers are emerging as the fastest growing segment of the workforce in Europe, more than doubling in numbers over the past 20 years. It is curious that 64% of full-time employees are looking for part-time jobs, that is, they are somehow involved in freelancing.
Another trend that is getting famous in the corporations for managing the workspace for their employees is the use of advanced Desk booking software. This allows companies to save a considerable amount of workspace.
Today, in a world of uncertainty and change, it is especially important for companies to shift from a strategy of survival to a strategy of prosperity. Leaders also need to change their mindset — instead of preparing for a predictable future, they will have to prepare for an uncertain future. How can organizations reconsider their approach and tune in to successful development when many of them are now faced with the challenge of adapting to change in order to simply survive? Success on this path will depend on the organization’s ability to create a human-centered philosophy and the commitment to sticking to this idea in the future. The authors of the study examined the path from survival to company prosperity through the prism of five international trends in human resources management in 2020.
Well-being as part of work – seeking work-life balance
As the boundaries between work and personal life became even more blurred during the pandemic, managers began to try to introduce the practice of caring for employees directly into the work process. Companies that integrate corporate wellness program into work at the level of individuals, teams and the company as a whole will be able to create a sustainable future where everyone can feel comfortable and work at their best.
More than retraining: unlocking an employee’s potential
During the COVID-19 outbreak, executives urged workers to expand their responsibilities and take on whatever tasks need to be done. The workers took up this challenge and showed that they are capable of realizing their own potential where no one expected it from them. In turn, this allowed organizations to prepare for successful development in the long term.
Super teams: the place where the work is done
Teamwork has become a top priority for organizations, a key element in coping with the COVID-19 epidemic. Now managers have the opportunity to use the experience gained to form “super teams” that allow them to move to new principles of work, thanks to the optimal combination of human labor and modern technologies.
Regular positions become super positions. Traditional positions in companies have been limited to well-defined functions with standard outlined day-to-day tasks. Automation of some of the workplaces will free up workers time for more important tasks – solving strategic problems, interpreting data, communicating with customers. These tasks require higher level skills. Companies will have to create more flexible and evolving positions and roles over time. Keeping the old names – “manager”, “designer”, “analyst” – these positions and roles will become “super positions”.