By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Since the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease struck in 2020, the world has not remained the same and the way people and organisations operate has changed.
Recently, stakeholders gathered for the AfricaNXT2022 and the Future of Work was discussed with Phillips Consulting, a leading business and management consulting firm, providing deep insight into the paradigm by exploring emerging trends in the ecosystem.
The company has, in the past two years re-imagine the future of work as the world comes to grips with the next normal, businesses and teams have to continue to adjust and react quickly to remain competitive.
African businesses and industry leaders are facing daunting tasks to navigate a post-COVID-19 economic environment continuously shaped by accelerating digitisation, rising hybrid workplace, diversity, globalisation, and Artificial intelligence. To do nothing is dangerous to businesses and the prosperity of the African continent, said Mr Rob Taiwo, Managing Director Phillips Consulting.
The panellists at the event contextualized and mapped how critical enablers of the fourth and fifth industrial revolution will profoundly drive transformation across industries and redefine the Future of Work.
The African economy can forge a different pathway from the rest of the World – if opportunities in the emerging “Future of Work” are harnessed correctly by businesses and industry leaders, they agreed.
“A recent study has shown that 97 per cent of employees stated that they had some kind of work-related stress, this is the best time for a reset, especially after COVID-19, discussing the Future of Work, community and the modern workspace at,” Mr Taiwo said.
He further stated that, “Employees are looking for a different type of leadership. Old school methods of command and control are collapsing. It is a new day and a new time. Companies that are going to win are embracing a new way.
“People are looking for more than money; increasingly people are working for a purpose. Work-place culture is also taking the forefront in the way people seek employment.”
According to Mr Joshua Ademuwagun, Senior Managing Consultant & Head of Advisory, pcl, “We shared best practices and offered industry-focused considerations on how business leaders need to rethink their business models and strategies to best position themselves to leverage emerging opportunities.”
Meanwhile, Remi Dada, founder and CEO of Spacefinish & Design Match-Up stated that the future of work is about being empowered to work how you want when you want. When employees are empowered, performance becomes the goal.
“Tech is in more demand than before; “workspaces” are more relevant than pre- Covid, which is why creating spaces that are meant for collaboration, making your office space feel as relaxed as your home is the future. Spacefinish Designs is working to blur the lines between the workspace and living spaces for the Future of Work,” Dada said.
Corroborating earlier speakers, Arinola Fetuga, Head, HR & Admin, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund asked “How do we transfer knowledge and build strong relationships between employees and employers, when everyone is working in a different environment? That is where technology comes into play when building the Future of work. But company policies, feedback, structure, and processes have to be adaptable to fit the evolving future”.
“Innovation is building employee and employer management for the Future of Work, Tech creates solutions for people that are different from you, but we have to be dynamic in the way we communicate with people individually,” said Enimien Inegbedion, Strategy and Transformation Project Manager, Hugo Technologies.
Modupe Gbadeyanka