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Trends shaping the future of the workplace

Written by Sylvia Metayer, CEO, Worldwide Corporate Services segment, Sodexo

Today is World FM Day, a chance for the FM industry to raise awareness of how we can help our clients ‘enable positive experiences’.Earlier this month we published our 2018 Global Workplace Trends report. This year we have focussed on seven interconnecting trends featuring fresh insights to global workforce leaders and decision makers.

The 2018 report highlights the most critical factors affecting the future of work and demonstrates how an improved workplace experience is key to increasing companies’ performance and leads ultimately to better employee engagement.

Recognising the increasing presence of robotic and artificial intelligence in the workplace and daily life, the trends outline the ways that the development of individual and collective human intelligence will guide the impact of technology on life.

Since 2012, our Global Workplace Trends report has provided an important perspective on the future of many different types of workplace environments, spanning the globe.

Our insight as one of the world’s largest global employers and our deep connection to consumers’ needs provide us with a unique perspective to recognise and analyse how the quality of life of individuals at work impacts the performance of organisations.

By understanding and anticipating these trends, we can more effectively help our clients plan what lies ahead, by experimenting and implementing human-centred and experience-based solutions.

This year’s topics have an overarching unifying theme: the need for collective intelligence across all workplace domains. The featured trends include:

Getting ready for Gen Z: With high expectations around technology and flexibility, while paying close attention to well-being and quality of life, Gen Z is reshaping the workplace in new and exciting ways for all generations.

The Internet of Things: shaping the future for workplace: IoT-supported workplace environments are an opportunity to operate and engage businesses and employees in a more effective manner by improving comfort in

physical spaces, flexibility, precision in the process and ultimately quality of life for everyone.

Creating the emotionally intelligent workplace: Emotional intelligence has become a core skillset for high-performing organisations and leaders today. The workplace itself can be emotionally intelligent – by allowing people to bring their full spectrum of emotions to work, and aligning their fundamental human needs and motivations.

Re-imagining resources in the sharing economy: Forward-thinking organisations are redefining their business models to leverage the benefits of the sharing economy.

Moving the needle of gender balance: To create a gender intelligent workplace, companies must examine the barriers that are holding back women and implement a cultural transformation driven by inclusive leaders.

Human capital management 3.0: Human Capital Management (HCM) 3.0 is bringing all the different technologies and programmes (learning, recognition, wellness) together to transform the work experience into the life experience. HCM aims to enhance the employee experience and help organisations perform at their best.

Employees: New change for corporate responsibility: Employees are now key stakeholders when it comes to shaping CR strategies. It is important for companies to give their workforce a voice, enabling them to feel fulfilled—while working toward a better future for all.

 

Further information:

Andrew Wilkinson, Marketing Director, Corporate Services, Sodexo UK & Ireland, talks about Creating an Emotionally Intelligent Workplace on Sodexo’s quality of life blog, or discover the seven trends in more detail here.

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