The Great Reflection: How embracing change can lead to better business…
The story behind the creative industry’s success has always been one of constant evolution and radical rule-breaking.
We’re a sector of innovators who think forward and out of the box… So when will we apply the same mindset to the way we work?
Well. Right now, actually.
According to Forbes, we have entered “The Great Reflection”, a time when we all assess and agree on what a post-pandemic workforce really looks like.
In 2022, phenomenon’s like “quiet-quitting” and The Great Resignation sent ripples through the industry as employees who felt unheard and undervalued walked away from their positions and towards a more balanced, autonomous life.
To combat The Big Quit, many companies fired out short-term reactionary tactics, and had conversations about how to stop it from impacting on employers – and not much else really.
But, as the shadow of the pandemic grows ever distant, there’s been a positive increase in the number of employers keen to pivot and understand how to create jobs that workers want to stay in.
The pandemic was the beginning of a significant transition
As new job roles arise, technology rapidly develops and Gen-Z enter the workforce with fresh ideas about how things should be done. Collectivism, emotional intelligence and compassion are increasingly central in the work landscape.
Read more about Gen-Z in the workforce
Indeed, people have higher expectations and different demands than in previous years. But companies are no longer running from these standards in the hope that employees will revert to the pre-pandemic conditions.
Instead, employers are acknowledging their wants and needs. After all, it’s the only way to reinvent the employer value proposition (EVP) and get high-value candidates through their doors (not to mention keeping them there).
We’re now in a period of acceptance. Even the most steadfast supporter of the traditional in-house 9 to 5 can admit to the benefits of non-linear working. And conversations around employee wellbeing have progressed from foosball tables and sleep pods to “how can we provide something more than a place to work and earn money.”
Read more about the benefits of non-linear work
We’re now all in agreement that employees need more than foosball tables to be well at work
Top-level candidates want their employers to recognize their unique human value and so employers should continue reassessing how their companies make a difference in society and make other people’s lives better.
The future of business is creating more human-centric workplaces. Generous wellness packages, reasonable hours and remote work options are great, but that’s simply the tip of this iceberg.
The post-pandemic world is about purpose-driven jobs, listening to employees’ needs and establishing work conditions that make it easy for them to love their jobs. In return they will give you their ideas, passion and genuine commitment.
In 2023 we hope to see a more sophisticated understanding, on both sides of the employer-employee relationship and less hierarchical conversations around expectations and what it means to deliver value.
Knowing our industry, we won’t be disappointed.
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