The future of work demands flexibility for both employees and the organization. There needs to be a shift from the 9 to 5 traditional work culture to a smoother and more productive process. So how do organizations work on this shift and move to this new way of working? This Transformation Tuesday, let us look at a few of the strategies that organizations can follow:

Begin from the Top

Any change, be it at the employee, department or the organization level should start from the top management and the leadership. Any change needs a buy-in from the senior management. Leaders need to walk the talk. This flexible work culture would be beneficial to both the employee as well as the organization. There will be significant outcomes that can be seen in terms of better job satisfaction, reduced employee burnout, improved level of employee engagement, and better retention thus leading to improved productivity.

Emphasis on results

When you are promoting this new way of work focus on the results or the outcomes. Do not focus on when and where is the work done. Anytime when the focus is on the outcome then the desired results are delivered to the clients. It also enables employees to be more associated, efficient, effective and encouraged. 

Clearly define the needs

Clearly define which tasks you want to be done in fixed hours. Tasks like one-on-one meetings, training, feedback sessions, coaching and mentoring, and other onboarding activities should be done in fixed time and one-to-one. Fundamental activities that are important for team building should be scheduled in fixed time. 

Make clear rules and regulations along with accountability

Make a clear agreement for how certain tasks are to be performed, how urgent issues need to be handled, etc. Hold employees accountable for their work. Identify the dependency of various stakeholders involved in the system. Make it clear how well the teams work in case of interdependency? 

Iterative efforts

Shifting to a flexible working system is not a one-time process. It is a repetitive process that will need a lot of fine-tuning and adjustments over a period to be successful. Take small steps and keep experimenting to see what works and what does not work. 

The future of work seems to be more flexible ways and means of working. These ways are beneficial to both the employees and the organization. Leaders and managers should use the above-mentioned ways and means to make the shift from 9 to 5 to a smoother way of working that are more productive and profitable. 

Written and Compiled By Faber Mayuri Pandya

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