There’s a three-way battle taking place in the job market
In the first corner – Companies are looking to return to pre-pandemic operational and productivity levels, such as in-office work and hierarchical management cultures. Let’s call this a longing for a return to BC – Before Covid times.
In the second corner – Many companies have seized the opportunity to rethink their organization’s paradigms, consider their employees’ productivity during lockdowns, and conclude that a work-from-home model can be implemented, long-term, without harming the organization at all.
In the third corner – Those who have decided to try and get their hands on the best of both worlds. These are companies that have built hybrid models that integrate in-office and remote work.
The result: a job market that has been divided into three competing “employment religions” that are currently in the midst of a significant battle for talent. Employees are now choosing more than their next professional role or even career path – they are choosing a philosophy or a way of life. Until the market regains a semblance of balance (which, I assume, will take time and much more trial and error), we will likely see many, many employees shifting between workplaces and employment philosophies. This will be further fueled by the exponential rate at which the Digital Revolution continues to develop, creating new productivity tools, platforms, and arenas that will continuously define – and redefine – how work is done and value is created.
For key employees and top talents, These changes are empowering key employees and top talents to choose and embrace the working model that serves their needs best. We are already seeing this to be true, as stats show that millions are handing in their letters of resignation after “tasting the forbidden fruit” that is working from home during the pandemic, or after testing the waters as freelancers, thanks to the remarkable business creation and management tools that are already widely available (i.e. – Fiverr, Upwork, etc.).
These tectonic shifts and “Black Swan” events make the already heavy burden of decision-making and strategy building heavier than ever before. We (at Vayomar) are seeing this first-hand, within the giant corporations and hyper-growth unicorns we are contracted to support and guide. Our unique vantage point (thanks to our work with the wide range of companies and organizations with which we partner) makes it possible for us to gather best practices and guidelines within our domain of expertise.