The Next Great Disruption Is Hybrid Work

We’re on the edge of change at least as significant as last year’s Covid-19 driven shift to remote work: the move to "hybrid" work as some employees return to the workplace and others continue working from home.

Flexible work is here to stay. Remote work has created new job opportunities for some, offered more family time, and provided options for whether or not to commute to an office. But there are still many challenges ahead. Teams have become more “siloed” for example and “digital exhaustion” is a real and unsustainable threat.

A well planned and thoughtful approach to hybrid work will be critical for attracting and retaining diverse talent. To help organizations through the transition, the 2021 Work Trend Index outlines findings from a study of more than 30,000 people in 31 countries and an analysis of trillions of productivity and labor signals across Microsoft 365 and LinkedIn. It also includes perspectives from experts who have spent decades studying collaboration, social capital, and space design at work for decades.

The main takeaways from the survey are:

 1. Flexible work is here to stay

2. Leaders are out of touch with employees

3. High productivity is masking an exhausted workforce

4. Gen Z is at risk and will need to be re-energized

5. Shrinking networks are endangering innovation

 You can read the entire report here:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/hybrid-work

 

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