Work and Life balance is starting to be a requirement rather than a luxury. The younger generations are insisting on balance in their lives. Organizational culture is changing. Regular hours seem relatively irregular. Now there’s this work-life integration idea floating around.
Yesterday, when it came to attitudes about life and career, people would try to build a life around their careers. Tomorrow, employees will be building a career around the kind of life they want to live.
Yesterday, when we considered an employer, we would ask ourselves, “Where do I fit in this organization?” Tomorrow, more and more employees will be asking themselves, “Where do YOU fit in MY life?” And when it comes to seeking work-life integration versus work-life balance, younger employees are more interested in careers that allow work and life to coexist and often times blend together.
Yesterday, when we were seeking a job we hoped for job security. Tomorrow, employees will be expecting flexibility. On the job, employees will be better multi-taskers and will quickly and efficiently shift between work and play with multiple distractions going on at the same time. They have had plenty of practice with this.
So, learning and training practices and preferences will probably need to change, too. Yesterday, training was facilitated and followed a defined curriculum with a specific goal. Tomorrow, training will need to be modified to be more self-directed, collaborative, and somewhat open-ended. It would ideal to create more “snack-size” or “bite-sized” courses that are mobile friendly.
It will become more and more important in this mobile world to allow flexibility in all things. We will need to become more open to new approaches. It could be fun – it will at least be interesting. If you or your organization needs assistance with these changes, contact me at kit@welchlin.com. I can package a presentation that will help.