Future Of Work Conversations
I previously shared a framework to encourage conversation and increase psychological safety (think: traffic lights). In a training with the Gallup organization last week, they too highlighted the importance of ongoing conversations.
And they discussed how the topics of these work conversations are SHIFTING. Gallup highlighted six work topics that were most important to employees in the past, and what these topics will look like in the FUTURE.
A few of the items really stood out:
My Development: Employees are interested in ongoing development of skills for their specific role as always, but I’m also seeing a desire for development of the WHOLE PERSON. Skills such as how to be more resilient, less reactive, more strategic. I’m also getting requests for tools to increase SELF-AWARENESS including identification of blind spots, whether it’s through assessments, a coach, or training.
2. My Life: Employees are conceptualizing work as part of their overall life, no longer a compartmentalized part of their day that they just “have to slog through” (in the words of a former client). Makes sense given how technology has already blurred the lines between work and life time. And now with so many people working from home, this line has been all but erased.
Is there anything you would add to Gallup’s list of shifting conversations? What about a shift to talk about employees’ physiology, energy, and personal kryptonite so employees can show up at their best? How about employees’ well-being? Arianna Huffington’s company Thrive Global is making strides in this space, but there’s a lot more that has to be done.
One of HuWork’s offerings is helping teams and companies develop a human-centered culture, where the whole-person is taken into account.