Work is not a fixed reality. It changes over time, following other important changes in social and family relationships, consumption and lifestyle habits. Therefore, any company that wants to make good use of its human resources or HR manager who wants to make a difference needs to be aware of trends in the future of work. And, at the moment, the main trend is the flexibilization of work .
With the use of technologies , work can be carried out differently from the format we are used to. Permanent, in-person employment, from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, is no longer the only option. Now, with the help of the right tools, it is possible to work at different times; away from the office; even without employment.
In fact, available technology whatsapp database already allows professionals to optimize their work, be more productive and save time; and, along with time, better quality of life. Why doesn't this happen yet? Mainly because of professionals' own reluctance to explore opportunities to make work more flexible. However, this reluctance to change gradually gives way to a desire to achieve work-life balance, and Gen Y and Z professionals are more open to flexible work relationships.
In this post, you will see what flexible work looks like today and how it can evolve in the future. You will also discover the position of companies in this scenario.
Current scenario of work flexibility
The current scenario of work flexibility, although still relatively timid, points to an inevitable reality: changes will occur and the future of work will bring even more strength to this trend. This is because some of the strongest obstacles that hold it back are falling.
The first obstacle is government intervention in labor relations. With the most recent changes in legislation, this intervention has been reduced, opening space for the parties — company and professionals — to agree their own conditions.
The second obstacle is, as already mentioned, the reluctance of professionals themselves to adopt work models different from the traditional one. The traditional model favors a feeling of security and stability, which was the most important value for Baby Boomers and Generation X. However, Generations Y and Z value balance and quality of life in equal measure. Thus, as these young professionals become the majority in the market, the search for flexible work increases.
Today, the flexibility we find is still superficial. It is the occasional home office, although the employee still needs to attend the company on many occasions. It is the authorization to follow different schedules, however, still with an expectation of “working hours”. In general, then, we see that many companies are unable to separate the notion of productivity from certain criteria that, in fact, do not guarantee efficiency or quality of work.
Flexibility in the future of work
So what might work look like in a decade or two? What type of flexibility are we talking about? Well, the issue goes far beyond working from home and different working hours. This is a complete disconnection of professionals from the concept of “workplace”. What we will see is the strengthening of a new category: digital nomads.
Digital nomads are people who do not have a physical address; they live on the road, and work is a complementary aspect of this lifestyle. They may work to support themselves by traveling, or travel for their job. The flexibility is total: in a certain week, they carry out their work in the USA; in the other, they are in Singapore; in the other, some part of Russia. And what makes this possible is something that we all have access to, a simple internet connection.
In case you're wondering, digital nomads aren't necessarily professionals who earn a huge salary. In fact, what they prioritize is their lifestyle; So, they may trade the chance to earn a good salary in a traditional job for a more modest salary in a job that guarantees their freedom.