Ep. 70 – The Future of Work – Adapting to Change

Future-Proofing Work

[00:03:02]

So on to today’s episode.

Today, I’m tackling a topic that’s on everyone’s radar. How we can adapt to the future of work and embrace new tech and do it all sustainably without overwhelm and burnout.

Sounds like a tall order, right? But stick with me because we’re looking at things from a few different angles to show you that if we reframe our mindset and our approach from a space of curiosity and cadence, that this future doesn’t have to be daunting. It can actually be pretty exciting. As always I’ll share links to the companies and resources that I reference here. You’ll find those on the episodes transcription page, which is at https://creatingcadence.co.

So if you’re ready, let’s dive in.

The future of work part one. Adapting to change.

Let’s start by talking about the changing landscape of work. It’s a bit like riding a wave. The work environment is constantly shifting beneath us often in unpredictable ways. And the goal is to try and keep our balance, despite these shifts, and in surfing terms, try to avoid a wipe out. A particularly big shift started during the pandemic and continues to grow.

On the one hand, we have a rise in hybrid and remote working options, with things like four day work weeks and flexible schedules coming to the fore. On the other hand, we have organisations issuing Return to Office or RTO demands that are causing friction, redundancies and resignations. And interspersed amongst all of this are things like AI and the Gig Economy, alongside increasing tensions and travesties on the socio-economic and political front and the ever present climate crisis. But we’ve covered some of those in other episodes this season, so I’m going to specifically focus on flexible options and the gig economy.

The role of remote work, flexibility, and the gig economy is becoming increasingly important because our expectations around what our work entails and how it needs to fit into our lives are changing. Remote work and flexible hours have shifted the traditional idea of a nine-to-five job and many employees now prioritise work-life balance, autonomy and control over their schedules, because we’re discovering that those old ways of working are no longer sustainable.

So people are becoming a little bit more willing to experiment. An example of this is the four-day work week initiative. The second trial for this has just started in the UK with hundreds of businesses formally signed up to do the trial.

And more that I know of who have decided to experiment with it informally, too.

But even when office-based, more people are also choosing freelance or project based work over permanent roles. Drawn by the flexibility and independence that they offer. This gig-based approach also allows organisations to scale resources, according to need, which can also increase efficiency, which again is more sustainable.

Having a hybrid or remote work structure also enables an employer to access a broader talent pool. Companies are no longer limited to hiring locally. And expanding your talent pool to incorporate a national or global team can lead to diverse perspectives and skills. Diverse perspectives are important for innovation and for supporting healthy work cultures.

All of this matters for building a sustainable business, because flexibility has become a key factor in employee retention, engagement, and overall wellbeing.

A company’s ability to adapt to these expectations can determine its competitiveness and its ability to attract top talent.

I do understand that not every company or organization can be fully remote, but flexible options come in lots of different shapes and sizes. Just because you have to have an office doesn’t mean you can’t be flexible.

The problem is that businesses with very formal and traditional business structures, which may be rooted in old, outdated models of work and profit and capitalism often aren’t flexible enough to adapt to these new norms and expectations.

What that could mean over the long term, is that if they don’t find a way to change, they won’t sustain.

Put another way. What happens to dinosaurs when their environment is no longer suitable for them? I’ll leave it up to you to answer that question for your business.

So who is doing it right? Imagine working for a company that lets you set your hours and work from anywhere. Or balance flexible remote work with in-person collaboration time, too?

This kind of flexibility is exactly what companies like Buffer, Spotify and Pinterest are doing. And they have research data to prove that it not only works, but it makes their businesses work better too.

In a fascinating recent Fast Company article, Daniel Sutton, the Chief People Officer of Pinterest argues that companies that force workers back to the office are missing the big picture. Pinterest has a flexible working policy called PinFlex, and Daniel shares compelling data that they’ve tracked since its inception. I have to say that this data certainly influences the return to office flexible work debate, in the direction of flex first.

Here’s a quote from the article:

“Our internal analysis shows that in 2023, Pinterest’s flexible work policy boosted productivity, fostered more collaboration and enhanced wellbeing. And our approach has also been key in attracting a diverse pool of top talent. So while some leaders insist that remote work is stifling innovation, collaboration, and productivity, hard evidence shows the opposite.”

Daniel also goes on to talk about the benefits of flexibility for both the team and the business perspective. And Pinterest has over 4,000 full-time employees, so they certainly have a robust data pool to work from.

What they found is that people who have the flexibility to work from home with occasional time in an office are more productive than those who are based full-time in the office. On the business benefits side, I’ll quote Daniel again:

“Our model has also proven to be financially sustainable, efficient, and scalable. Since we introduced PinFlex, we’ve more than halved our real estate costs thereby allowing us to invest in world-class offices that inspire creativity, collaboration, and community for employees. And that enable us to host regular off-sites, client engagements, and other events.”

Aside from the economic and efficiency benefits, it certainly sounds like a more fun, inclusive culture and work experience that they’re purposefully building.

But let’s look beyond this inspiring example, because there’s heaps of other proof that flexibility is linked to improved productivity and improved business performance. For example, research from Stanford University found that remote work can boost productivity by 13%. Other data published by Scoop reveals that companies with remote work policies outperform those that don’t by an average of 16%.

Personally as someone whose body has been compromised by my experience with extreme burnout, it’s essential for my wellbeing, that I am able to work flexibly, so that I can adapt my workday to fit around my energy. And when I’m able to do this, my focus, my creativity and my productivity are vastly better.

Flexibility is an integral part of the concept of intentional productivity, which I wrote about in my book, The Cadence Effect, which came out in 2023. It’s also similar to what Cal Newport covers in his book on Slow Productivity, which came out this year (2024).

So based on my experiences and my research and interactions with others who advocate for these practices, too, what that means is that no matter what you believe, I’m firmly in the flexi camp, when it comes to work styles and work practices, because they support wellbeing and productivity better, which can also be more sustainable for your business too.

What I will also say from a wellbeing perspective is that it’s important to remember that flexible working can also blur work-life boundaries.

So creating your cadence, a steady yet adaptable work, rhythm and routine that allows for rest and recharging, too, becomes essential.

Luckily, this is what intentional productivity is all about. And I’ll share some examples in the next section.

The key takeaways here are firstly that remote and gig work is here to stay. So, if you don’t already have a policy around flexible working, don’t be a dinosaur, get on it.

Secondly, there’s no point replacing a hustle culture with a flexible culture if the outcome is still the same. We can’t have improved productivity at the sacrifice of our health and wellbeing. So more flexible working also requires us to be more intentional about structuring our workdays to avoid burnout and overwork. If you’re redesigning your work styles to incorporate flexibility then this is an opportune moment to bake wellbeing into every element of what this looks like.

Cadence in the Future Workplace

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Now let’s look at creating cadence in the future workplace.

So how can we create a healthy work rhythm that keeps us grounded, even with all of these changes and uncertainty?

First, we look at engaging more mindful work practices. Organisations can promote a rhythm that values intentional productivity over sheer output by fostering a culture of healthy habits.

For example, setting boundaries like designated work hours and break times is crucial. And when you’re remote, it’s easy to keep working through lunch, after hours, or to get distracted. But setting a regular schedule for focused work, maybe with a timer or a calendar reminder helps you to keep things flowing smoothly.

Don’t forget to also keep white space in the calendar. That’s thinking time, time for rest and recovery. Companies like DoIst, the maker of the popular productivity app ToDoIst practice setting boundaries. Their remote team is encouraged to create routines that work for them individually, but with structured team check-ins, so no one feels isolated.

Another example of creating cadence is setting intentional breaks based on your natural focus cycles. Also known as Ultradian Rhythms, and I do speak about these in other episodes of the podcast.

You may be familiar with the Pomodoro technique where you work in 25 minutes, sprints with five minute break. Or you could be blocking out a 90 minutes to two hours slot for deep work, with a five to 15 minute break. Before resuming with your next set of tasks. Taking these short breaks to refresh and step away from the console. Our practices that a lot of tech and creative teams have started embracing to keep their energy high and maintain mental clarity.

Another thing to consider is encouraging balance and detachment. Adopting detachment practices like switching off work notifications after hours, helps to maintain a separation between work and personal life, which is key to preventing burnout.

Banning after-hours contact is actually a law in countries like France. So if they can do it, then surely we can too.

Creating cadence is also about building resilience and adaptability. And these are essential skills to build in the face of so many uncertainties in our future. In his book, Master of Change, the author, Brad Stulberg advocates for the need for what he calls “rugged flexibility”, where we need to engage “wise hope” and take “wise action”.

Since change is constant developing skills like adaptability and resilience, help your employees to cope with uncertainty. And companies that support mental health and resilience training can help improve morale and reduce burnout. And when those foundations are strong, when we’re approaching things with rugged flexibility, we are able to harmonise our work and life better to create more momentum and better rhythm and flow.

So why does creating cadence matter? I’ve said this before, but our people are our number one asset. So investing in them is investing in your future success.

A sustainable work rhythm leads to more engaged, creative, and loyal workforce. See this as an investment in long-term productivity, which will reduce costs associated with turnover and absenteeism. But the upside is that you also have happier, healthier employees who are going to do great work and be more pleasant to be around. We spend so much time at work. We want our relationships and culture to be as strong and healthy as possible.

Using Tech Wisely

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Next up, let’s look at how we can use tech wisely to improve productivity and the flexible working experience.

Technology should be enhancing productivity, not overwhelming us. Things like chat and project management tools can streamline communication and keep everyone on the same page, prevent misunderstandings, and save time. But we have to be careful not to let these tools run our day.

So first, get smart in your task management. Keep your tech stack as simple as possible. Create a balanced workflow by limiting tool overload and making intentional use of only your most essential apps.

Second. Consider ways to enhance team collaboration. With collab platforms, teams can easily connect and share ideas, whether in office or remote. Video calls, shared docs and instant messaging can bring a sense of closeness and cohesion, whilst also allowing for asynchronous working styles. Most of us are already doing this in some form already, but if you’re not, why not?

It’s also important to get clear on which forms of communication and collaboration, work in which instances. Is a meeting really necessary when comments on a shared document would be more fruitful?

Third, it’s also crucially important to set limits on tech. Think about encouraging tech sabbaticals or device-free periods, both in work and out. Research shows that taking breaks from screens boosts our creativity and productivity, while also reducing our stress.

We get so overstimulated by our devices with the continuous influx of content that we’re exposed to. So we need time away to help our brains and our bodies recalibrate. And time in nature is even better, because it reconnects us to a larger natural ecosystem that our digital world keeps us separate from.

So the key takeaway here is that balancing productivity and wellbeing through thoughtful tech use makes work more sustainable. The goal is to leverage that tech to foster innovation and efficiency without sacrificing our physical or mental health.

These are just a few suggestions of things you could do, and maybe they’ll spark some ideas for you. And I’m going to talk about the role of AI tools in this context, in the next episode.

Future-Proofing Our Future

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Finally, let’s look at preparing for the future. How can we all get ready for this fast approaching future? What is key here to building a future-proof workforce?

The answer is twofold. Skills that go beyond technology. And good leadership. So first and foremost to thrive in this next phase of work, it is imperative that you are building resilient teams.

A future-ready team needs more than just technical know-how. They also need emotional resilience and emotional intelligence. They need the skill of adaptability and a problem solving mindset.

One of my favourite inspiring organisations who are working in this space is SIY Global, they offer science-driven emotional intelligence training to help future-proof the workforce. S I Y stands for “Search Inside Yourself” and comes from a programme that was originally developed several years ago at Google. I’ve taken several of their online workshops over the years and I’ve benefited hugely from the experience.

Another great example of a company building resilient teams is ThoughtWorks, a global technology consultancy. They don’t just train employees in tech skills, they also deliberately incorporate the soft skill side, focusing on building well-rounded teams equipped to handle dynamic complex problems.

So the first element of building a future-proof workforce was building resilient teams. And the second is leadership.

The leadership of a company also play a critical role in helping teams adapt to the changes that we face in this future of work. Leaders have to pave the way here, creating a culture that’s open to sustainable change and flexibility. And that values wellbeing. You, as a leader, on the role model here. You have to be able to self lead. In order to also lead others effectively. You set the example, not just for your team, but also for your community, for your customers, and for your industry sector. Don’t be afraid to take that step. You’ll encourage others to do the same.

Many successful B-corps business owners and leadership teams embody this. They’re transparent in their communication, they advocate for sustainability and they create a purpose-driven culture that makes employees feel part of something bigger, something more meaningful, something they want to feel connected to.

So my takeaways here are that leadership isn’t just about directing. It’s also about setting the example, encouraging adaptability and supporting a strong value-driven culture, creating the spark that ignites excitement for change.

As my mum always says, we attract more bees with honey than vinegar. So this is about making the adventure more enjoyable, not a tedious chore we’d all rather avoid. Think about how you can make it attractive for people to want to follow you on this path.

And while implementing change as part of this transition, don’t just focus on tech and AI. Also train for skills like adaptability, creativity, and EQ. When the tech landscape changes, those skills are the ones that are going to help you and your team stay agile and innovative.

So to wrap up the future of work is all about flexibility. Balancing technology with intentional productivity and healthy cultures helps to ensure that our working practices are more sustainable for the long run.

As we move forward, consider how you can create a rhythm in your work that supports profit, your people, and the planet.

How can you become more motivated to embrace new technologies thoughtfully? And adopt sustainable practices that not only future-proof your business, but also help you and your people to craft meaningful, flexible work lives.

In the next episode, I’ll look at how we can leverage AI sustainably to adapt to these changes and to help us build even more resilient, sustainable businesses.

In the meantime, keep moving forwards with courage, curiosity, and cadence.