The Future of work is , the work of our collective future – Community
Over two decades of working with Organisations and Leaders, the urgency of this has never been felt so much. Community Building needs to be one on the MOST important, forward center agenda. Both within and without the organisation. If we have to thrive and not survive in these uncertain times.
In the practice of Theory U – Thinking and seeing from the evolving Future, we are here. Post Pandemic once again asking the two FUNDAMENTAL questions:
- Who am I ?
- What is my work?
A conversation about Community, cannot be had without talking about “belonging”. Feeling that we belong is one of the most important aspects in seeing value in life. People crave a sense of community. Why ?, because through that they get a sense of belonging to the whole.
Post COVID the world, especially the world of work has been disrupted in ways we are yet to comprehend, or even begin to.
And yet our language continues to remain the same, “Lets get “Back” to work”
There is NO back
We are unable yet, to understand just how and how much, such a MASSIVE event worldwide and its invisible impact on how our Fundamental tenets of perceiving , prioritising and behaving, have changed. Having held grief circles in organzaitions, it is quite evident.
Organizations are struggling to get people “back”. And maybe THAT is the problem statement that need reframing.
Leaders and organisation need to ask the question “ How to get people – Forward”
Forward and Future is Community
In the disconnection and social isolation , The VALUE of social connection and community has shot up. (secretly I think that was the hidden message of this pandemic all along)
We have lived divided for too long.
It makes business sense too.
But before that we need to also realise that, work has a new frame of reference.
Community building within a company gives its people a way of being seen and bring their whole self to work, without leaving out their ‘purpose’ to embrace the organisation purpose. They get to exercise an AND. It gives them sense of belonging and connectedness at work.
What this does is helps people built deeper relationships and trust, enjoy creatively working together, reduces mental and psychological stress and increases productivity without compromising health.
In 30 years of employee engagement research, Gallup has repeatedly found that friendship in the workplace is essential to productivity. Having a best friend completes the employee’s work life and fuels greater performance.
Just to give an Idea about just how much this is the…. “Future”
It’s time we took some time to intentionally thinking about this ..already existing Future.
And see how do we Design ways of working, artefacts, and organization structures and leadership to build and cultivate this future.
It’s a shift from Human centered design to Eco-centered design for sure.
