Commercial Integrator + Security Sales Sept/Oct 2023 - 48

NATURE OF WORK
One Size Does Not Fit All
As industry experts, we can and
should enable future-of-work
connection and inclusivity for
individuals who thrive in varied
environments. By Amelia Vrabel
MODERN WORK HAS UNDERGONE a major transformation
in recent times. In particular, a major inflection point was in
March 2020, when many workers were forced into the world
of remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. With humans
once again comfortable in group settings, many organizations
have attempted to bring workers back to the office, enjoying
varying degrees of success.
The debate on when, where and how people best work
might be one of the most polarizing topics of 2023. After all, it
raises important questions about the benefits and drawbacks
of traditional, office-based work environments. This all comes
at a time when the nature of what we actually do for work is
evolving rapidly, with the increased implementation of artificial
intelligence into our workflows. One thing that's certain is
the importance of connection and inclusivity in shaping the
future of work.
We Can Play a Pivotal Role
By helping organizations to embrace collaboration tools that
exist today and that will continue to evolve into the future,
our industry can play a pivotal role in enabling them to thrive
in this new world. By leveraging these tools effectively, organizations
can create an environment that embraces the best
of both worlds - providing the benefits of in-person collaboration
while also embracing the flexibility and inclusivity that
remote work has demonstrated. As collaboration-technology
experts, we're in a unique position to guide our customers
and our own businesses to make the most of the future of
modern work.
Let's look at each side for a moment. Those who support
the return-to-office (RTO) movement are often rooted in
tradition and years of practice in management in an office
environment. They believe strongly in the value of placing
employees in physical proximity to each other to support
enhanced collaboration and communication through face-toface
interaction and spontaneous exchange of ideas. Many
people are more comfortable building a sense of trust with
someone they have physically seen and spoken with. However,
workers who are forced to return to the office might find
challenges in a traditional schedule when collaborating with
others across locations and time zones. They might find it
challenging to participate in focused work. The time involved
commuting to and from an office might take away from other
life priorities, such as family or health. That's not even to mention
the added cost of driving and potentially eating out daily.
Working from Anywhere
Those who prefer the flexibility of working from anywhere
often consider the time commitments and environmental
implications of increased commuting and travel. They often
have a greater degree of flexibility in their schedule and an
increased sense of work/life balance, which enables them to
contribute their best work. The ability to work with a diverse
range of colleagues increases when physical proximity to an
office is no longer a hiring constraint. Employees might find it
easier to concentrate when doing focused work in a quiet environment.
They may be able to contribute by serving in roles
they simply would not take if the job required them to live in a
different place and spend 10 hours a day away from home.
Organizations may also find themselves able to expand their
talent pool to a wider range of applicants and reduce costs by
eliminating unnecessary building space if a majority of their
workforce is not in the office. These folks might, however, be
challenged by a lack of connection with their colleagues -
particularly if they have never met in person, if they're unable
to receive mentorship or coaching, or if they feel as if they are
the " odd man out " from their in-office colleagues.
Every other week, I seem to read an article about how one
style of working is " better, " but, the truth is, there's simply no
right or wrong answer for everyone. With the variability in work
types, styles and roles - and with the nature of work changing
- I believe we will continue to see the workforce evolve to
a hybrid model. Thus, some workers will be in an office either
some or all the time, whereas others remain predominantly
remote. Now more than ever, amid today's dynamic workforce,
it's key to leverage collaboration tools to do our best work.
A Thoughtful Approach
If we distill things down to the one most critical strategy to support
connection and inclusion, it's to be thoughtful about our
approach to communication and collaboration, regardless of
when or where we work. Long gone are the days of our communication
choices being constrained to phone, email or in-person
meetings. With the emergence of messaging, collaboration
channels, cloud document sharing, video messaging and vid48
Commercial Integrator+Security Sales & Integration | Sept/Oct 2023
Commercial Integrator + Security Sales Sept/Oct 2023

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