19February 2021Chairman of the Board of AssociationSuccess.org, described why his company supports this idea. "When you grow people, the by-product is that you grow your business. That's really where the fun is. Your purpose statement and core values become the foundational layers of culture. They provide an agreed-upon set of behaviors." Work/Life BalanceAccording to a Deloitte study, nearly 75 percent of millennials believe that a work-from-anywhere policy is important. Younger workers want to be evaluated based on outcomes, not attendance. They want the emphasis on results over rules, and they prefer managers who mentor more than they supervise. Traci King, Chief Learning Strategist, InspirEd, notes, "My role is not to micromanage. It's up to me to open space for my team. I am the buffer and the problem solver. I protect them so that they can feel safe and motivated to bring their best work forward. Coaching is a big part of our culture. We are a learning organization." Connection and Co-CreationEmployees, who have grown up in the digital era, are comfortable with connectivity in all shapes and sizes. They expect to work across functions, platforms, geography, and hierarchy. Aggregating feedback and information from a variety of sources is second nature. Rehak, explains her enthusiasm for co-creation like this, "When you bring people together to solve a problem, the result is so much more powerful than an individual could accomplish."Incorporate Specialized SkillsDon't let your organization's growth be limited by talent. In addition to being cultural influencers, millennials are also leading the freelance revolution. A 2017 annual freelance study by Upwork found that nearly 50 percent of millennial workers were already freelancing, and 7.8 million Americans would be working on-demand by 2020. It has never been easier to hire temporary workers. These are some of the advantages to be gained:· Specialization--You can find and hire a freelance expert in almost anything. Talent pairing platforms that make the recruiting and hiring process easy are springing up like mushrooms. There are sites dedicated to IT, communications, design, and a myriad of other skills. .orgFreelancer is a platform where leaders can find experienced association talent.· Commitment--Freelancers are entrepreneurs. They need to be at the top of their game on every job. As the customer, you are their priority for repeat business.· Scale--If you want to expand product lines but not your footprint, freelancers might be the ticket to that growth.· Geography--Can't find a 3D designer in Indianapolis? Try Ireland or India. Cloud computing, file sharing, and teleconferencing make remote work seamless. Freelancers in another time zone can be working while U.S. employees sleep.Save Costs and Boost ProductivityAccording to Market Watch in 2015, office space in New York City cost an average of $14,800 per employee annually. Although arguably one of the country's most expensive cities, there is no doubt that remote work offers savings. While some of that revenue must be invested in equipment, software and other accoutrements employees need for a home office, there is also an opportunity to reallocate funds to staff development or other morale and culture-boosting activities. Gains in productivity may offset any expenses for equipment. Employees who work from home are less likely to take unexpected time off because their hours can be flexible. Provided they have an adequate home work environment, they are less likely to be distracted by noise or interruptions to the workflow.Be FlexibleI won't pretend that initiating new work strategies is a walk in the park. Over the last few months, the remote work experience has been less than perfect for some. The negative issues have to do with the sudden, unexpected, and enforced conditions. With foresight and planning, these problems can be eliminated. If you asked me to summarize the future of work in a word, I would say flexibility. Being adaptable, exploring options, and experimenting with possibilities are defining characteristics of work in the digital era. Every initiative need not be perfectly executed. Open space and learn from experience. Like the Microsoft study, stress exists at both ends of the spectrum. But growing pains offer a much better return on investment than the inevitable deterioration of standing still. ITO
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