Everyone OK With Remote Work, Except Maybe Managers; Does the future of work mean abandoning human connections?; & Tech Co's Want to Help You Reopen
New Ways of Working
Forbes: Everyone Seems Okay With Remote Digital Collaboration, Except Maybe Managers
"Two-thirds of U.S. workers say their quality of worklife has improved amid the recent COVID-19 disruptions. However, managers and executives are having a tougher time with things... [They] reported having a harder time adapting in comparison to non-management respondents, the KPMG survey shows. Managers are more likely to state their jobs are more demanding now (67 percent of managers versus 50 percent of staff employees), work/life balance is more difficult (55 percent versus 47 percent), and work is overwhelming (63 percent versus 39 percent)."
The devil is always in the detail. In last week's newsletter, I linked to research by Gallup that highlighted a slight shift in sentiment against working from home in the US, which perhaps reflects people starting to think about the longer-term implications. My take on this is that the real problem will be to understand what your workforce wants and how to manage different preferences, particularly between managers and their teams.
Link: https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemckendrick/2020/05/10/everyone-seems-okay-with-remote-digital-collaboration-except-maybe-managers/ and advisory.kpmg.us/articles/2020/covid-american-worker.html
Digital Placemaking
Benefit News: Does the future of work mean abandoning human connections for internet connections?
Continuing the theme I've been making, that there is more to distributed and remote working than countless video meetings:
"We are in the process of reinventing what a work 'place' is regardless of location, and the way the corporate world navigates the situation at hand will determine the future of work as we know it... Modern teams will look more like online communities... Tools available today are optimized for similar people in the same room; we need to now move towards tools that facilitate different people that are working from around the world."
Smarter Workplaces
Inc: These Tech Companies Want to Help You Reopen Your Office Safely
"Cue the rush of companies building software designed to boost workplace functionality in a post-coronavirus world. These programs reorganize office seating charts, create custom staffing calendars, and track employee health over time. And they've sprung from concept to product in very little time."
Considering the debate about the effectiveness of government-led contact tracing apps, this could all end up being a kind of 'safety theatre'.
Link: inc.com/cameron-albert-deitch/reopening-software-health-safety-maptician-salesforce-gensler.html/. Also see qz.com/work/1853592/salesforce-will-reopen-in-seoul-with-tickets-for-elevators/ and diginomica.com/servicenow-reveals-products-help-companies-plan-new-covid-19-workplaces.
Don't want to miss out on future updates? Sign-up for the Digital Workplace Company newsletter.
