Editorial: The changing workplace
As I sail through my forty-third year it’s amazing to reflect on how the workplace has changed. I have clear memories of visiting my mum after school, and waiting patiently in the corner with my homework for 5.00pm to arrive.
“Gotta light?”
There are a few things that standout for me from that time. One was the procession of employees that would come through the office on Thursday to collect their envelope of cash (and it was totally legitimate!). Another was the total absence of any sort of computer, and the third was the stale smell of cigarettes that was embedded in almost every surface.
That was the mid-80s. It was a time when the rotary telephone reigned supreme and the gender divide was clear across certain roles. In my memory, it looks more Mad Men than any workplace in the modern world.
The architects of change
However, even the very concept of a workplace is under threat, and over the last couple of decades an increasing casualisation of workspaces has occurred. Offices have given way to cubicles. Cubicles gave way to open plan. Open plan has given way to hot desks, and hot desks have given way to remote working.
The obvious driver of this change has been technology. Forty years ago, the work undertaken in an office setting was much more laborious. As a result, a much greater effort was required to enter data into ledgers and spreadsheets, and typing an error-free letter required both concentration and Liquid Paper. Computations were largely done by hand rather than a computer or its underlying algorithm.
Process v people
As we know, everything is different. The workplace tends to be focussed much more on collaboration and outcome-focussed metrics. Tedium and toil tend not to be the norm.
The modern workplace is now much more focussed on the efforts and aims of the individual. As we’ve covered on previous occasions, a lifetime of work is becoming increasingly viewed as a collection of ‘experiences’ rather than a single ‘career’
The challenge for more traditional employers – and some of us may fall into that group - is to become flexible in approach in order to attract the best talent. Many potential employees are looking for jobs that that are seen as ‘interesting’ or being of benefit to a broader cause. Money, while important, is just a part of the package. Building these aspects into available roles can attract and maintain an engaged and talented team of workers.
What next?
Even this morning’s Canberra Times was pointing towards a future workforce so decentralised that even public servants no longer need to work in an office. With a laptop and an internet connection, the next slew of technologies (5G mobile data and virtual reality software) will make it much easier to collaborate with colleagues who are located in different parts of the world.
So, will your next business be in Barton or Beijing? Or will you control a collaborative project from Byron? This is a future of work that is very much upon us.