The great invitation to change
We have been living in a world of accelerating, often overwhelming and disruptive change. In the world of work, studies have shown that staff and employees alike are often disengaged, experiencing burnout, or looking for better opportunities elsewhere. For many, work is an activity that they tolerate in order to survive rather than a soulful experience that brings fulfillment and meaning to their lives, and success to their organizations. At the same time, managers and leaders have been under significant pressure to deliver more profits and productivity while providing greater sustainability, diversity, and innovation. Prior to 2020, the world of work was already challenging!
Then, came the disruption caused by Covid. This event had an immediate, global impact in the way we both live and work — for literally everybody in the world! Whether we like it or not, working from home using online meeting technologies have become the norm. More than a temporary or practical change, this disruption is calling for a complete reassessment and overhaul of what we value, what gives us meaning and how we organize and structure work in the future. It is inviting us to re-imagine work.
Being able to accommodate these dramatic changes and trends means that we need to seriously question the things we did before, anticipate the changes yet to come and make wise decisions on how we build our capacities to navigate change for the future.