Building a Human-Centric Workplace Model for the Future
Sep 28, 2023
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Guest Alexia Cambon discusses the shift towards a human-centric workplace model, emphasizing the importance of flexibility and recognizing employees' right to it. The podcast explores the impact of the pandemic and generative AI on corporate culture and highlights the need for organizations to embrace the new reality. It also discusses the parallels between sports training principles and the future of work, and emphasizes the importance of creating a human-centric workplace model by seeking employee feedback and personalizing their experiences.
Flexibility is no longer a perk but a right for employees and organizations must shift their mindset to recognize that performance does not equal presenteeism.
Creating a human-centric work model that considers individual needs leads to better performance, higher retention, and lower fatigue.
Deep dives
Shift in Work Paradigm: Accessibility and Flexibility
According to Alicia Kanban, there has been a significant shift in the way we work. Accessibility is no longer seen as a perk, but as a right for employees. Flexible working has led to a crisis of trust and productivity paranoia in employers. However, Kanban emphasizes the need for a mindset shift and recognition that performance should not be equated with presentism. The pandemic and the emergence of generative AI have transformed employees' experience of corporate culture, and organizations must embrace this new reality. The key question is whether leadership is ready for the changes presented by the future workplace.
Principles for Human-Centric Work Models
The podcast episode explores principles from the world of sports that can inform more human-centric work models. Data shows that human-centric work models lead to better performance, higher retention, and lower fatigue compared to location-focused approaches. The key to a human-centric model lies in considering the needs of individuals when designing work. By focusing on the human element, organizations can develop flexible, collaborative, and empathetic work environments that drive performance.
Challenges in Embracing Change
Many organizations struggle to let go of legacy work models and are hesitant to embrace change. The pandemic accelerated the need for adapting to new ways of working, but some organizations still cling to old norms. The transition to a hybrid work model requires leaders to let go of assumptions based on visibility and standardization. It is essential to adopt new leadership philosophies that prioritize empathy, trust, and individualized approaches. Overcoming resistance to change is crucial for creating successful and inclusive work environments.
Flexibility as a Key to Success
Flexibility is a vital factor in today's workplace. The concept of work-life separation is being replaced by work-life integration, acknowledging that personal and professional lives impact each other. Flexibility allows employees to bring their full selves to work and integrate personal needs with business objectives. It is imperative for organizations to provide employees with the autonomy to make decisions that balance personal and professional priorities. By offering flexibility, organizations can attract top talent, enhance employee engagement, and drive better business outcomes.
According to our Banking Transformed podcast guest, Alexia Cambon, senior director of research at Microsoft, “There is no going back to the way we worked before. Flexibility is no longer seen as a perk by employees, but as a right.”
Flexible working has produced a ‘crisis of trust’ and a ‘productivity paranoia’ in employers, but there needs to be a mindset shift and recognition that ‘performance does not equal presenteeism,’ states Cambon.
The pandemic and the emergence of generative AI have radically changed how employees experience corporate culture, and firms must embrace the new reality. The question will be whether leadership is ready for the changes the workplace of the future presents.
This episode of Banking Transformedis sponsored byMicrosoft:
Microsoft and its partner ecosystem help banks reduce cost and risk, modernize core systems, and delight customers and employees to achieve differentiation and spur sustainable growth.