There was no doubt that the digital development would change how and where we work, but many people are probably surprised and impressed by the speed of the readjustment the last year, accelerated by Covid. And we have only seen the beginning of the development that will lead to even more flexible and smart ways of working.
There has been a step-by-step automation in the manufacturing industry with, for example robots, but now a fast digitalization and automatization is happening also within the service industry. Many tasks will be taken over by AI, and we must adjust our ways of working to the rapid development.
The need for competence development will lead to employees moving between different projects within the organization to where the need is right now. Having an understanding for the whole business, being flexible and taking own responsibility for your development, will be decisive for success. Staying at one employer your whole career, will not be something to strive for, but to gain experience and knowledge from several businesses and teams.
Where will our work be performed and in what way? The ability to decide for yourself where and when you work, can lead to a better work-life-balance, but there will be a challenge to separate work from free time, and it will get harder for managers to keep an overview of the employees and secure a good working environment.
In the connected world where we are available around the clock, free time will get more and more important. Where work and career used to be a part of your identity, free time, friends, and family is what matter the most now. The next generation does not live to work, they work to live, and their leadership style will set clear boundaries between work and free time. To attract talented people, values, vision, and mission need to be lived and breathed in the company and make out a part of the business idea.
It will become more common to put together temporary teams on all levels in the organization. Driving projects with a team with the right skills for a clearly defined task, will become simpler. As the digitalization progresses, there are no longer any obstacles for putting together teams in different geographical places.
We have seen this positive development for a long time within Interim Management, where experienced leaders with the exact right competence enter temporary roles to lead teams and drive business critical projects. Similar ways of working will now become more common, whether you are employed or have your own business. The digitalization has taken a giant leap, which already facilitates driving change and to lead teams spread over many geographical areas. The new way of working means the right person at the right place at the right time.