ACCELERATOR THE FUTURE OF WORK

Is Covid-19 The Up-To-Now Missed Accelerator For The Future Of Work?

Laura Mariani

The PeopleAlchemist Edit: change & transformation, business & lifestyle experimentation for TheWomanAlchemist

The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the pace of disruption and the automation revolution. In fact, one could say the future of work is almost here. Is Covid-19 the up-to-now missed accelerator for the future of work?

Accelerated digitalisation

Companies had to organise temporary solutions to meet the new demands during the various lockdowns and consequent restrictions on trading in a traditional manner. And much more quickly than they had thought possible before the crisis. They had to move quickly to working from home to continue with the business. Also, expedite plans to digitise work and deploy new technologies like digitising customer and supply-chain interactions and internal operations. Plus, the creating digitally enabled products. And as consumers have moved and continue to move dramatically toward online channels, these changes are very likely to be long lasting. Technology is now becoming of strategic importance and a critical component of the business, not just a way to cut costs.

Remote working

The physical restrictions during lockdown/s moved work online in places where before the thought of fully flexible working was unthinkable. Additionally, this meant leading and managing people remotely, with all its challenges, including keeping people engaged. It required an agile leadership style, more personal and authentic, which can sometimes be forgotten in a so-called "normal" environment: Working online was not just a new way of working for many. It was a new way of thinking. With a broader customer base, working at pace, prioritising the most important things, working on output and delivery rather than tasks - which is, after all, what agile is all about—both for employers and employees. In this rapidly changing and technologically advanced labour market, the role of reskilling and upskilling is growing. The skills that employees will need to perform their roles effectively are changing, including new skills. However, together with the positive aspects of this acceleration, there is the potential that inequality is likely to be exacerbated by the dual impact of technology and the pandemic recession. But I leave this subject for next week business blog. What do you think? Positive accelerator for the future of work? Or not quite?
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Laura Mariani Best Selling Author, Content Creator and Change & Transformation Expert

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