No more business as usual! Driving change at every level of an organization
This month sees a significant anniversary: it’s been 12 months since the first lockdowns were announced and the fabric of our lives changed in ways that we could never have foreseen.
One of the main transformations we have all had to face is the impact on the way we interact with each other and work together. The good news is that organizations have generally shown amazing resilience and have managed to meet the challenges of the crisis. Accelerated digitalization alongside the shift to remote working has met changing individual and organizational needs, replacing many of the things we previously took for granted in the workplace.
However, the changes that companies need to make as we move toward a post-pandemic era will need to go further than an organizational shift. They need to go deeper, impacting the ways companies think about the roles of their teams on a structural level.
A management system based on old methodologies—a static hierarchy that seeks uniformity, bureaucracy and control—will no longer be effective. Taking its place should be a model that is responsive to the needs of employees, built around four interrelated trends: more flexibility, digital connectivity, inclusivity and a focus on team autonomy and well-being.
The organization of the future
To usher in the future of work, leaders should do nothing less than reimagine the basic tenets of their organizations. Companies need to ask themselves some important questions: What is my core purpose? How can we have a positive impact on society? And, how can we create a space for our employees that encourages them to engage in a trustful and open way with their leaders and with each other?
Emerging models need to be more creative, responsive and open to learning at every level of the organization, as well as more able to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse workforce. Hierarchies become networks of teams. Information flows are more agile and transparent. And companies become more human: inspiring, collaborative, and able to provide a more meaningful and enjoyable employee experience.
A better employee experience means more motivated and higher performing teams. Successful organizations learn how to create personalized, authentic, and motivating experiences that allow every member of a team to reach their full potential.
In order to begin that transformation, companies need to build a data-driven, systemic understanding of their organizational health. The pandemic has put a spotlight on the power of fast decision making as many organizations have had to move dramatically more quickly than they had originally envisioned. In this scenario, data-driven digital platforms like TeamEQ become an essential tool to anticipate, react and implement change.
To be successful, cultural transformation should touch every facet of an organization—people, process, strategy, structure, and technology. Companies need to prioritize initiatives that strengthen their organization’s ability to drive change in leadership, culture and employee experience.
As the organization of the future takes shape, digital technology will help to make the workforce more flexible and responsive. HR and leadership will be able to use data to prioritize strategic workforce planning, performance management, and employee well-being as well as building a platform to increase employee engagement. At the same time, leaders can push forward on increasing transparency, improving employee experience and making the structural changes that will make a real difference to the effectiveness of their organization.
The last 12 months have certainly been a learning experience for us all in so many ways. But they have also provided an opportunity for companies to accelerate the shift towards a more dynamic and emotionally responsive organization. One that is ready to successfully enter a post-pandemic future.
Find out how TeamEQ can help you to drive systemic change in your organization by taking a demo today.
Ph: Getty (Forbes.com)