As
I am settling in into my new co-working space, I cannot help but think how much
employment has changed over the past 15 years.
And
we seem to be taken it even further as one of the major trends for 2018 is the
evolution towards a more flexible workforce. From the traditional organisation consisting
largely of employees with clearly defined roles and responsibilities, we will
evolve towards organisations with a diverse workforce of employees and
independent individual contributors working in a project-oriented way.
From
an economical point of view, this evolution makes perfect sense. In today’s
rapidly changing business environment, companies that rely solely on full-time
employees are finding they have neither the skills nor the agility to sustain
success. Working with a blended workforce, will allow leaders to unleash
fresh energy and thinking inside their organisations, and quickly meet staffing
needs when new opportunities arise.
But
when I look at every day’s reality, I cannot help but wonder…are we there yet?
Start-ups
tend to feel 100% comfortable with this type of organisation. It allows them to
be agile and to quickly respond to market needs. The majority of their
workforce also consists of millennials who put a lot of emphasis on the
flexibility an employer is offering, not only from a working hours or location
point of view but also from a content point of view. But even there, research
indicates that millennials seek flexibility within a full-time context.
When
it comes to more established organisations, there is a larger gap between the
creation of a flexible workforce and everyday reality.
The
majority of my clients still prefer to select candidates who are willing to
commit to an organisation long term. They tend to select candidates with a
traditional career path, with growing responsibilities with a few employers
rather than people who combine interim assignments with pay-roll based roles.
Positions are closely linked to job descriptions, stating clearly defined roles
and responsibilities rather than profile descriptions for project oriented
roles based on key skills.
Evolving
towards a flexible workforce will require different skills from both managers
and employees but above all, it requires a different mindset. Both parties will need a shift in mindset
towards more open, less restrictive organisational structures emphasising
partnering and collaboration.
Managers
will need to learn to lead virtual networks of individual contributors they can
no longer “manage by walking around.” Key management traits will be the
capability to manage scope, launch teams and provide feedback and coaching to
individuals they do not formally control. Employees will need to develop skills
relating to quickly forming relationships and facilitating teamwork among
project staff who have never worked together before.
Ultimately,
the new world of work requires executives to completely revise their
relationship with talent. HR will need to play a leading role in driving this
shift. Organisations should focus more on defining capabilities and enabling
access to the skills they need, and focus less on where internal people sit or
finding the perfect person for an internal role.
Let’s face it … what a challenge this
will be. I cannot wait to see what 2018 will bring. And you…do you think this
trend will truly become reality or will it remain one of the many buzzwords?
I look forward to hearing
from you,
Isabel
Through a
personalised and tailor-made approach, Ingenium Executive Search aspires to
assist you in attracting the right talent that matches the DNA of your company
Check out our
website http://www.ingenium-search.be
Follow me on Twitter
@IngeniumSearch
