Adaptive Workforce: The Future of Work

Share this post | 4 min read

  

Quarterly Peek (14)-2

Our world is constantly changing, shifting, and evolving. Technological advances, global crises, and unique ways of working call for new approaches, innovative mindsets, and adaptive workforce solutions.

 

Many companies are implementing hybrid workplace models to ensure flexibility in the face of uncertainty. This technique requires change-ready staff, but how do you encourage versatility among distant team members?

 

Whether you decide to hire Magento developers or other essential employees, an attitude of adaptiveness is crucial for your company. Continue reading to discover the four principles of successful workflow and three ways to prepare your employees for change.

 

The Principles of Successful Workflow

 

The hybrid workplace model has proven to be effective. A recent survey discovered the following benefits:

  • 88% of employees had increased job satisfaction from the flexibility of choosing between working from home or the office
  • 56% of employees reported better mental health
  • 75% of employees said working remotely helped them maintain a more active lifestyle
  • 75% of employees stated an improvement in their work-life balance

There’s no doubt that employees are at the forefront of every business. Technology is brilliant, but it will never replace the human element. Your staff is the most crucial piece of the puzzle for cultivating adaptiveness.

 

To ensure the company thrives at every level, business leaders must focus on four specific factors: alignment, belonging, accountability, and commitment. Without all these elements, you won’t encourage a change-ready mindset among your team members.

 

Here’s a breakdown of the core principles companies should implement in the Adaptive Age

  • Alignment: Occurs when everyone knows their collective and individual purpose.
  • Belonging: Occurs when everyone feels welcome, safe, and free to be creative and curious.
  • Accountability: Occurs when everyone [particularly executive management] takes shared and personal ownership of the company’s best interests.
  • Commitment: Occurs when leaders invest in long-term growth instead of short-term rewards.

By incorporating these four principles, it becomes easier to foster adaptiveness in employees.

 

3 Ways to Cultivate Adaptiveness Among Employees

 

Some people are naturally comfortable with change, while others require a little nudge in the right direction. Remember, growth is not possible without flexibility. It’s crucial to lead by example and encourage a growth mindset among your team.

 

Here are three adaptable workforce solutions for remote employees.

 

1. Decentralized Decision-Making & Brainstorming

 

Companies that practice inclusivity and mutual respect typically reap these rewards:

  • They’re twice more likely to reach or exceed financial goals
  • They’re six times more likely to anticipate future changes
  • They’re three times more likely to operate on a high-performance level

A true leader understands the importance of empowering their team. Giving employees the power to make decisions creates more resilience and confidence among your staff members.

 

Listening to different feedback also opens up new possibilities. Hold regular brainstorming sessions to develop unique solutions and new, better ways of doing things. If your team faces a challenge, encourage them to bounce ideas off each other.

 

2. Clear Communication & Personal Connections

 

Honest, helpful, and transparent dialog reduces uncertainty and makes it easier for your employees to value the company.

 

Acknowledge when things happen and inform your staff of what’s happening around them. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have all the answers; it’s your approach that counts.

 

Set up frequent meetings to discuss goals and key performance indicators. Establish cut-off times to ensure an equal work-life balance. Propose ten-minute breaks after virtual sessions to allow employees to recenter and refocus.

 

Humans are naturally driven to form relationships. Through personal bonds, your staff will create stronger connections and develop a sense of belonging. Consider introducing social time at the end of meetings so your employees can get to know each other.

 

Team-building activities outside of work are also an excellent way of fostering personal connections. Apart from department-based outings, you can also plan company-wide events.

 

3. Hire Change-Ready Staff

 

One of the easiest ways to avoid adaptive challenges in the workplace is by hiring change-ready staff. As with reinventing company culture, this process begins with onboarding.

 

The qualities of a flexible person include tolerance for ambiguity, as well as resilience, and adaptability. Look for these characteristics from the start by assessing potential candidates through interview questions like:

  • Have you ever dealt with sudden changes at work? How did you react? What could you have done differently?
  • How do you handle setbacks at work?
  • Describe a situation at work where you had to do something difficult. How did you get through it?

Consider introducing psychological tests to learn more about potential hires. Here are some common ones:

  • The Caliper Profile. It examines 23 different characteristics of employees, including their appetite for risk, time management skills, leadership abilities, and aggressiveness.
  • Predictive Index Behavioral Assessment. It analyzes four personality elements in detail: patience, dominance, formality, and extroversion.
  • Situational Judgment Test. It illustrates how team members may react to different workplace scenarios. It focuses on problem-solving, cultural sensitivity, interpersonal skills, and conflict management.

The key goal is to empower your team to experiment and innovate, which leads to growth and evolution. Reward your staff for ideas and actions preventing the marginalization of other employees.

 

Embrace Change

 

In our fast-paced and ever-changing world, the only real constant is change. Undoubtedly, technology is fantastic, but it cannot replace the human factor. Your staff is vital to your business, and their input matters.

 

Alignment, belonging, accountability, commitment, and community are the core elements of all adaptive workforce solutions for employees. By adopting these principles, you can ensure your company remains flexible in facing all uncertainties, no matter your chosen approach.

 

HOW CAN YOUR ORGANIZATION THRIVE IN THE adaptive age? DH HAS CREATED A STRATEGIC PEOPLE PLAN TO HELP UNCOVER GAPS & MOVE YOUR CULTURE INTO THE FUTURE.

People Strategy Sessions

About the Author

Kate Parish

Kate Parish is the chief marketing officer at Onilab with over eight years of experience in Digital Marketing in the sphere of eCommerce web development. Kate always aspires to broaden her competency in line with cutting-edge global trends. 

LinkedIn

Comments

Subscribe to our blog