10 Workplace Trends to Watch in 2012
You
may be in the same position at the same place you've worked for years.
But the economy, technology and demographics are transforming how you
get your job done.
Out: commuting, 9-to-5 schedules and standard-issue office computers.
In: telecommuting, more flexible hours and using your own laptop or
smartphone for work.
Here's more on those and other changes that could be coming to your workplace this year:
1. Mobile devices.
More employees are using their own iPhones, iPads and other portable
electronics for work instead of company-issued computers or laptops, a
trend sometimes called "bring your own device" or BYOD. Some
companies
worry about how they'll keep confidential information safe and workers
on task and not on Facebook or playing Words With Friends. But that
won't stop the move toward fewer restrictions, not just on what devices
employees use but also on how, when and where they use them, according
to workplace experts.
2. Telecommuting.
Companies are offering telecommuting as a way to give employees more
flexible schedules and in some cases make up for not offering bigger
raises, but also to curb office space expenses. Among the biggest
telecommuting advocates are boomers, says Kate Lister, a telecommuting
researcher at the San Diego-based Telework Research Network. "The
majority of boomers are at or near the highest rung of the corporate
ladder they're likely to achieve," she says. "The raises, promotions and
accolades that once motivated them have been replaced with thoughts of
retirement, aging parents, mortality and 'What do I really want out of
life?' AARP research shows 70 percent want to continue to work, but they
want to do it on their terms."
3. Open office spaces.
With fewer employees coming into the office, companies are reconfiguring
floor plans to devote more square footage to communal areas and less to
traditional, walled work spaces. Some have remodeled entire floors to
include shared workstations and group areas for impromptu brainstorming
or conference sessions. Employees who aren't around every day may get
lockers to stash personal items during office hours.
4. Instant communication.
Employees increasingly view email as an inefficient form of communication that moves at a snail's pace compared to
text messages,
social networks and other alternatives. "Email is quickly going the way
of the fax machine," says Robin Richards, CEO and chairman of
TweetMyJobs, a Twitter-based job service. "Just watch your [city's]
mayor. I'm watching every week, and more and more mayors are beginning
to communicate via social networks and texting. It's the only way their
employees communicate with each other."
5. Online collaboration tools.
More companies are using web-based software, rather than email, to communicate with telecommuters and
mobile
workers. Some companies now use programs such as Yammer, Chatter and
Jive to create private, Facebook-style networks that managers and
employees can use to exchange messages or documents. Video- and
web-based conferencing is here to stay too, workplace experts say.
Employees need to know how to use it all, regardless of where they work.
6. Web-based software.
Employers are following consumers by using more web-based or "cloud"
computing, including not just collaboration tools but also other
web-based software in day-to-day operations. Those applications include:
web-based portals employees can use to check on their health insurance
or 401(k) investments, and recruiting apps that let employees share job
openings with friends on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter. Similar apps let
companies post open positions directly on social networks where job
hunters can find them.
7. Reverse mentoring.
Along with traditional mentoring programs, some
businesses
are establishing reverse mentoring arrangements where younger workers
do the teaching, helping older workers master software, social media and
other modern workplace skills.
8. Independent contractors.
It's the age of the free agent, and not just in sports. More people are
working as independent contractors, not because they can't find
permanent full-time corporate positions but because they want to.
OpenDesks, a startup service that matches co-working facilities with
companies and individuals, has only a handful of full-time employees,
and also contracts with workers in Montreal, New York, and Sydney,
Australia. "We tried to recruit one of our part-time team members to a
full-time equity position. She wants to be part of the team but remain
independent," says OpenDesks CEO Chris DiFonzo. "The organization has
fundamentally changed. I'm not certain what this means for management
and hiring long term, but I'm 100 percent convinced this is a permanent
change."
9. Co-working spaces.
Whether they're independent contractors or full-time employees, more
home-based workers are checking out co-working spaces, where they can
find a desk for a few hours, often at minimal expense, plus conference
rooms, internet connections and other standard office amenities.
Worldwide, the number of co-working spaces is mushrooming. DiFonzo says
OpenDesks expects to have 1,500 locations in 750 cities and 100
countries in its database by the end of January. One side benefit of
sharing: The person you sit next to could become a sounding board for
product ideas, or better yet, a business partner, supplier or investor,
DiFonzo says.
10. Corporate culture initiatives.
A decent
salary
and benefits are no longer enough to attract or keep valuable
employees. For that, companies are investing in initiatives that speak
to the passions and practices of workers of all ages. Those initiatives
include going green or producing products in a more socially responsible
manner to allowing employees time off to perform community service
work. Comcast, for example, participates in Facebook charity fundraising
drives and sponsors an annual community service day where tens of
thousands of employees and their families plant gardens and perform
other volunteer work at locations around the country.
