The Internet of Things: Shaping the Future Workplace

How will the Internet of things reshape the workplace? Sodexo's Global Workplace Trends Report will help you understand some of the trends that people are concerning.

Economic Daily  Yi

Chen, Lin Zhu

Since 2012, Sodexo has scanned the horizon in its annual Global Workplace Trends Report. By understanding key trends that are shaping both the nature of the enterprise and the future of work, Sodexo has been able to more effectively help the clients plan for the future that lies ahead.

The Internet of Things: Shaping the Future Workplace

In an environment of constant progress, more organizations are questioning how future technology could impact their operations. More so than almost any other development, the Internet of Things (IoT) offers immediate improvements to the employee experience, from enhanced organization to more efficient facility management that boosts productivity.

But what exactly is the "Internet of Things"? And what types of IoT solutions make sense for the workplace? This article answers these questions and more, offering a helpful guide for companies looking to leverage this evolving workplace trend to their advantage.

As with any new technology, however, the world of IoT raises a number of concerns for employers and employees alike—from privacy issues to security threats. Organizations that choose to implement IoT solutions should do so deliberately and intelligently, with employee involvement and input throughout.

Human Capital Management 3.0: Transforming the Employee Experience

As organizations look for ways to simplify interactions and reduce overload, the employee experience has come into focus as a key area for improvement—and Human Capital Management (HCM) is increasingly being leveraged as a solution.

Effective HCM 3.0 delivers upon the idea that the employee experience can—and should—become the life experience through solutions that can be used at work and at home. This means seamlessly blending work, community, family and material aspects of what employees are seeking in their day-to-day lives.

Through HCM 3.0, there is a real opportunity to get all of the different technologies and programs working together to help employees and organizations perform at their best.

Creating the Emotionally Intelligent Workplace

With this understanding comes a recognition of the need to navigate these emotions in the workplace, meaning that emotional intelligence (EI) has become a core skill set for high-performing organizations and outstanding leaders today.
Decades of research support the importance of “soft skills,” but EI matters now more than ever. This article discusses the drivers that have pushed this measure of intelligence to the forefront, and describes how organizations are boosting their collective EI—from recruiting the right talent to better assessing and teaching EI.

For organizations looking for a place to start, practices such as experience design can help uncover workforce needs and motivations, as well as identify ways to enhance the employee journey. This article takes a deep dive into emotional intelligence, which is fast becoming a highly sought-out employee skill set and an important facet of a well-designed, human-centric workplace.

Re-imagining Resources in the Sharing Economy

Faced with an often difficult “new normal” in the post-2008 economic sphere, both individuals and corporations are re-examining how their resources are used. Out of this has grown a “sharing” or “gig” economy; one that eschews traditional ownership to promote maximum efficiency of labor and materials. In practice, the sharing economy has meant a rise in freelance working as well as frequent and temporary sharing of material resources like office space and equipment.

This represents an unprecedented opportunity for organizations and individuals alike, from greater agility for companies to better work–life balance and fulfillment for employees.

Moving the Needle on Gender Balance

 

For much of the recent past, business has taken a more direct approach to improving diversity in the workforce, particularly when it comes to addressing gender imbalances on teams.

Now, with a growing awareness around the unique challenges faced by women in the workplace—and because of the significant value generated by improved diversity—it’s clear that the focus of diversity needs to include not only making the numbers add up but also instilling a true feeling of belonging and inclusion. For companies that want to overcome gender imbalances, the first step is to examine the barriers that are holding women back—from biases and double standards to a lack of sponsorship support. Only then can they take steps toward creating a gender intelligent workplace, one in which employees feel that their uniqueness is valued and that they belong.

 

Employees: New Change Agents for Corporate Responsibility

To succeed in today’s business world, organizations need to become involved in more than just economics—they also need to become actors of change around large-scale environmental and social problems.

However, responsible business is being nudged forward not only through business case logic, but because employees increasingly expect their employers to act responsibly. At the same time, many employees are themselves acting as powerful advocates and change agents. Forward-thinking companies understand the need to engage their workforce in inspiring ways about global issues.

Despite their aspirations to “do well while doing good,” many organizations face a crisis of distrust among their workforce and in the broader global marketplace. With this in mind, businesses first need to take a look at themselves, recapture the understanding of true leadership, and recover the trust of their employees in an effort to begin working towards a better future for all.