We are in the midst of a landmark transformation in working culture, with both the biggest companies and the smallest start-ups faced with a workforce holding dramatically different expectations – and needs – from those in years gone by.
Such changes can be overwhelming for some, who struggle to comprehend and facilitate this new landscape, but for those needing guidance, a new book by talent and acquisition expert Bruce Morton could contain the answers they seek.
Morton, who is described as skilled in the field of “international workforce design” has over 40 years’ of experience advising organisations including big-hitters Microsoft, PayPal, and eBay.
His new tome, Redesigning the Way Work Works: Strong Opinions and Advice from 40 Years in the Business, is a guide for employers looking to “change their work architecture to meet employee expectations and compete against other organisations to attract and retain top talent”.
The book explores how the influx of Millennials to the workforce brought with them vastly different expectations than those who have gone before. For the cynics, this does not mean the abandonment of good old fashioned work ethic, because despite the rise in demand for flexibility and employers to build their business around the lives of employees, 87 percent of Millennial staff members still hold career growth and learning as a top priority.
However, stability, structure, and ‘a job for life’ are rapidly becoming obsolete concepts, with Millennials seeking out environments that give them a sense of purpose and help them learn and grow. As Morton outlines, work has gone from somewhere we go to something we do, and companies urgently need to redesign their work architecture to keep up.
Another recent phenomenon explored in Redesigning the Way Work Works include the rise of the ‘talentsumer’, and why firms must start viewing employees as ‘consumers of work’. After all, they now expect the same level of service as they do from their favourite consumer brands.
However, although the expectations of employees have changed, many companies still cling to old ideas of how the relationship between employees and work should be.
Redesigning the Way Work Works dismisses some of these myths, which include the idea that recruiters are the ones in the ‘hiring seat’. In reality, the candidates now take this position, meaning hiring top talent is getting harder, and candidates are now the ones choosing where to work. Employers need to offer more to their staff to persuade candidates to choose them.
The book also shatters the notion that Millennials are job-hoppers with itchy feet. They are merely a generation seeking employment with purpose, and who are unafraid to up-sticks and go elsewhere when their needs aren’t met.
One way to ensure these needs are met is to realise that flexible working must be offered to employees to offer a greater work-life balance and keep them satisfied.
Redesigning the Way Work Works is a guide to creating a company culture that responds to employee needs. Morton shows that through redesigning work architecture, businesses can meet employee expectations, compete against other employers, attract the best talent, and create a thriving company culture.
Independently published, Redesigning the Way Work Works by Bruce Morton is available now on Amazon, priced £21.10.
