What Does 'Work' Mean In The Post Pandemic World?

The workplace is now a multidimensional, flexible, hybrid, adaptive space and the pandemic has shown us how rigid and unnecessary some of our conventional systems were, though some will remain in place. Every company is adapting to the new normal in a different way and so are the employees. As we digitize processes worldwide, urgent reskilling and upskilling of employees is also taking place to increase productivity and meet evolving demands of the clientele.

Nearly every survey establishes the mainstreaming of the hybrid office and it seems unclear at least for now if brick and mortar offices will ever function at full capacity though critically important site specific work that requires team interaction in a physical space will continue to unfold amid stringent safety protocols. With increased digitisation, data security will be more important than ever and here are a few other areas I feel where the idea of 'work' as we once knew it, will evolve even more.

Borderless and adaptive talent will be in demand

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According to a CNBC report, Amazon, Pinterest, Intel and PayPal have acknowledged they could risk losing talent to competitors who offer more appealing job benefits as well as remote or hybrid work. This means that the expansion of office space across the digital universe has put talent in the driving seat. This also means that now more than ever, companies will compete for adaptive, responsive, flexible and versatile digital talent and professional synergies regardless of the geography they are located in.

The talent most in demand will have multifaceted skills and will seek more creative independence, flexibility and higher wages and will get it. The pandemic has also highlighted the usefulness and cost-effective facets of working from home and this will help companies to cut down on the expenses needed to lease office spaces and pay more to the required talent. Businesses will also become more equitable, diverse and will welcome non-traditional work experiences, unusual professional backgrounds and ethnicities. At the same time, as I have mentioned multiple times before, site specific work that requires the physical presence of employees to manage sensitive data or make strategic decisions that require brainstorming together will also thrive and retain its importance.

Mental health and employee well-being will be prioritized

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WHO estimates that over 7.5% Indians suffer from some mental disorder and it has taken a global pandemic to reveal the importance of employee well-being. Mental health has also received a mention in Budget 2022 and it is clear now that companies cannot run on the back of an unmotivated, anxious, overworked and stressed workforce. More and more companies are now thinking deeply about how best to support employees to deal with the pandemic induced financial, emotional and physical stress. Counseling help lines, augmented health insurance benefits, frequent check-ins, sensitivity to domestic problems and facilitating work-life balance are becoming de rigueur and rightfully so.

A NASSCOM survey reported that as of March 2021, the Indian IT-BPM sector has employed over 4.5 million people. Whether these employees are working remotely or are present in offices, their transition to a radically altered world must be supported by managers and HR leaders because well-nourished human capital is central to every success story.

Customisation is the key

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Whether professionals are dealing with customers or managers are dealing with their teams, customisation will be the key. This means that companies will have to tailor solutions for the unique problems being faced by their customers and team leaders will have to create customized twists for each employee. With time zones and work spaces becoming fluid, deliverables and roles have to be flexible as well.

In 2021, a Frost & Sullivan analysis titled, 'Transformative Mega Trends Shaping Post-COVID Consumer Behavior', found that COVID-19 has brought, ¡°significant changes in consumer behavior. As consumers strive for safer, contactless, and connected environments across homes, cities, and workspaces, technologies such as augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and natural language processing will take center stage in the post-pandemic era. Additionally, with the rise in online shopping and the demand for contactless transactions, companies will focus on a clear digital and omnichannel strategy to serve the digitally empowered customer." This brings us to the question, "is our workforce ready for this new breed of customers"?

Re-skilling and upskilling will become normative

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Enabling access to learning and development platforms is now essential as the speed of digital transformation and rapid automation may leave many employees feeling inadequate and underskilled. According to a McKinsey Consumer Pulse survey, roughly three-quarters of people using digital channels for the first time during the pandemic say they will continue using them even when the pandemic hopefully dissipates.

This means that without a digitally skilled workforce, companies cannot serve their clientele adequately. To bridge the chasm between skill sets and evolving business environments, reskilling and upskilling will be employed to manage hiring cycles better and make the most of the available talent. As a company, we are also interested in skilling youth who may have academic degrees but are not employable.

This, we think, is essential at a time when unemployment is spiraling and companies are experiencing a massive talent deficit. It is not just enough for candidates to find employment but to remain in the workforce on the strength of their talent and updated skills and so embracing cutting edge technologies is necessary to move forward.

Young people between 18 and 29 years constitute 22 per cent of India¡¯s population and to skill them in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Blockchain and NLP¡¯s (Natural Language Processing) will help them find their place in a world where e-commerce and digital transactions are being embraced extensively. Hence, industry leaders, policy makers and institutions must do all they can to create future ready candidates.

Gender diversity will become critically important

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Chinese academician and surgeon Tian Wei famously said, "Any society that fails to harness the energy and creativity of its women is at a huge disadvantage in the modern world," and it goes without saying that women will play an important role in post-pandemic economic recovery. The pandemic has undoubtedly expanded gender inequality and a research by McKinsey published in July 2020 estimated that women made up 39% of global employment but accounted for 54% of overall job losses. This must be changed because women bring with them unique perspectives and multi-tasking skills that can transform businesses.

At Visionet, we ensure that our skilling initiative Unnati for India also encourages women to learn STEM skills and it is our endeavor to create space for gender diversity within our own offices. With remote and flexible work now becoming increasingly normative, more women will hopefully join the work stream because a nation's economy cannot thrive if half of its population remains underutilized. Equal opportunities and wages and an inclusive and safe work environment are non-negotiable essentials that women should not be expected to compromise on.

In 2019, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had stated that bridging the gender gap would result in a 6.8 percent gain in GDP and it is time to ensure that women lead from the front and not wait for their turn to be heard in boardrooms.

Alok Bansal is the MD of Visionet Systems India and Global Head of BFSI Business. All views/ opinions expressed in the article are of the author.