Cultures will continue to evolve in the wake of the pandemic that changed everything. Businesses will reinvent themselves, and employees will help revolutionise the workplace, but this will only happen if leaders embrace positive and demanding changes.
As the pandemic dust settles, millions of people reassess their jobs with a fresh set of expectations. They expect more work-life balance, freedom to work where and when they want, and their employer's support and empathy.
Lately, businesses have started cultivating human-centred cultures where work is built around the lives of their employees and not the other way around. Pre-pandemic era, companies could offer perks like unlimited snacks, gym facilities, paid vacation, etc. But today, businesses must ensure their employees feel supported and cared for.
We currently live in a world where a massive chunk of our youth population are Gen Z's and millennials that are either college students or just entering the workforce. It would be no surprise to see them soon as your coworker or employee.
Although the pandemic has contributed significantly to the reinvention of company culture, millennials and Gen Z are also reshaping the workplace. Essential employee perks at the organisation aren't enticing them anymore. Gen Z'ers believe in encouraging a healthy lifestyle for greater well-being.
A culture of real human-centeredness isn't easy to create. It necessitates judging employees solely based on their output rather than the number of hours they work each day. In the virtual work world, nurturing culture can be challenging But, Identifying the culture-defining elements required and using that to create an atmosphere for a sense of community and connectedness is what company leaders must focus on establishing.
Since the beginning of time, businesses have only sought out employees whose values align with their own. The epidemic radically changed all of that. It led to a significant shift in the company culture where focusing on mental and physical health has started becoming a top priority. Employees are given access to mental health therapists as and when needed. As a gesture of appreciation, employers also offer employees free time, all in an attempt to show that the organisation cares.
In a recent survey, results showed that
Organisations that intend to adhere to their old ways will struggle to retain their current employees and find it challenging to recruit new employees to work in the company's pre-pandemic work culture. Since a record number of employees are quitting their jobs and job hunters are turning pickier than ever because they do not see the company's efforts to ensure the employees' physical and mental health is not hindered and is kept intact.
In conclusion, as culture shifts, the path forward for any organisation would not only be about embracing digital tools and technology; it is also about adopting and adapting to new workplace culture, where rearing a dynamic and robust internal culture to help sustain the health, well-being, and productivity of the employees is prioritised above all.