Monday, 7 january 2019 | Redacción CEU
The rules of the game are changing, especially within the world of work. Companies demand new professional profiles. They need to recruit talent that will live up to the magnitude of the change that they are beginning to undergo. In order to attract the ideal candidates, they need to design new strategies in a constant way. Professionals also want different things. Now, they are more independent, they are more specialized and they require greater work-life balance programs and flexible hours. They are increasingly aware of the fact that their employment relationship will not last until their retirement. These are just a few details of how the working environment is changing. Today, at The CEU IAM Business School, we will look at the future of work by analyzing the main trends that are emerging in the labor market.
Until now, we have witnessed how technology has left a mark on the behavior of firms. Companies face a complex challenge, they have to adapt their organizations to the new digital scenario that surrounds them. At the same time, they have to try to position themselves as attractive brands and offer a proposal of values which fits with what the new professionals demand currently. In order to successfully face all these changes, it is necessary to identify and understand the new trends and movement within the work environment. Only in this way will organizations be able to design effective and competitive strategies that attract the best talent. In turn, the professionals who know what this future of work is like will be better prepared to progress in their working careers.
A new labor ecosystem
There are many experts who, encouraged by the arrival of the change of year, have decided to point out what they say will be the trends of 2019 in the labor sector. Below, we offer a summary of their main predictions:
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Flexibility
Work will be more flexible in two dimensions: in terms of both time and space. The traditional schedules will gradually disappear in favor of new models that will be more adapted to the personal circumstances of professionals and their productivity. The spaces will also be more flexible. An example of this trend is the so-called coworking. These places are favoring the creation of professional contacts networks and the emergence of opportunities and synergies, that is, what we know as networking. These models are beginning to be used by large companies too, not only startups and innovative firms. There are also new proposals such as crowdworking.
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Teleworking
Despite the fact that the phenomenon of presenteeism is deeply rooted in Spain, teleworking will gather more and more strength as time goes by. Although the resistance is still high, the technological boost is paving the way for change. Working at distance helps to satisfy the demand from professionals for work-life balance and it also provides other advantages such as the decrease in transport costs. In turn, this method can also be beneficial for companies, since it means saving on material and work facilities and, when it has the right approach, it can increase productivity.
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Results
The flexibilization of working conditions, the emergence of new profiles of professionals such as knowmads, the adoption of agile methodologies, the phenomenon of gig economy and the bet on teleworking are contributing to a change of mentality in companies. Organizations will begin to apply an approach that will be focused on measuring work through results, not the hours that employees spend in their job.