The Future of Work--no longer business as usual

Last fall, Ernst & Young LLP, in conjunction with Chicago Ideas Week, launched the Future of Work survey. The purpose was to explore people's attitudes and expectations about the future of our working world. An excerpt from the survey--

No longer business as usual
Where and how people want to work is changing, and employers must adapt
in order to attract and retain top talent. But how? Some trends we can safely
anticipate from our survey findings:
• Workspaces will change. With more people working virtually, organizations
will need to adapt office workspaces to allow for a more flexible and
dynamic environment. That may mean reducing office space, creating more
open workspaces, along with private spaces, and/or enabling employees
to be productive at shared work locations. The corporate workspace will
increasingly become a place for teams to meet and interact, while being
supported by technologies that foster collaboration.
• Technology will continue to transform work. Video chats and virtual
meeting rooms will replace teleconferencing. Smartboards will enhance
brainstorming sessions, and ideas will be communicated through
collaborative digital platforms for further evaluation. Though technology
undoubtedly drives many of the trends noted in this study, it will not
replace what many people value: face time and teamwork. High-performing
workplaces will find a way to leverage technology to improve business
results without compromising employee relationships and culture.
• Leaders will manage virtual workforces. People want and expect more
flexibility in the workplace of the future. To meet the demands, leaders
will need to modify their management styles to build relationships with
team members and achieve productivity in a virtual world. Employers and
employees will need to become comfortable with the idea that flexibility
won’t mean working less, it will mean working differently.
• Organizations will explore new benefit packages. . . . 
• Building employee loyalty will be at the forefront. As contractors
become more prevalent in the workplace, full-time employees may
question their long-term future employment prospects. Organizations
will need to find new, meaningful ways to mentor, develop, empower,
reward and recognize employees to help them feel valued and
sustain employee loyalty.

Read more here:
http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssetsPI/Work-_no_longer_business_as_usual/$FILE/Future_of_Work.pdf

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