Last month, we shared our ideas on the modern labour market, outlining the myriad ways in which organisations can access the skills needed to get tasks done in 2020.  

With multiple options for hiring talent in 2020, most of which bring agility to organisational objectives, we predict that the UK labour market will continue to evolve further towards flexible ’on-demand’ talent.

On-demand talent provides the twin benefits of tighter cost control, and the ability to meet the opportunities of increasingly fast-paced markets. 

But it also requires an entirely different approach towards leading and managing teams, particularly when they’re more likely to be impermanent, and potentially dispersed geographically.

To optimise the full suite of organisational benefits that flexible, impermanent work teams bring, some key ingredients are essential. These should be baked in to operational environments for peak performance outcomes. 

Let’s take a look at each of these in turn...

1) Amplify your organisational purpose and vision

It’s never been more critical to articulate business purpose and vision. Much has been written in recent years about the importance of a defined organisational purpose, not least as a means by which to attract potential talent. This is true. As global social and environmental challenges escalate, more of us want to know that the work we’re doing counts for something, and that the organisations we work with are stepping up as a force for good in the world.

But being able to clearly articulate your business purpose and vision is also fundamental to keeping work teams aligned and focused in the 21st Century. We’re all overwhelmed by the barrage of 24/7/365 digital communication. Given our apparent dependency on our smart devices, our attention is prone to continuous disruption, and so clear, consistent communication around key organisational messages has never been more important. 

At its core, your purpose tells your team why your organisation exists, and the problem it solves in the world. It describes what you do from the viewpoint of the customers you serve, or the challenges you’re seeking to overcome. 

In contrast, your vision tells people where you’re headed and how the world will be once your organisation has made its contribution. 
These are both heart-stories, and in increasingly fast-paced information landscapes, consistent reinforcement of these two key messages is essential.

2) Double down on building an environment of trust and inclusion

The 2020 Edelman Trust Barometer provides fascinating insights. In the wake of global uncertainty, people believe that business is perfectly placed to act as a force for good in society. People are looking to business leaders to speak out on the issues of the day. Three-quarters of us want to feel that our work is changing society in some small way.

As business leaders, we’re the adults in the room now. It’s on us to show up and be the best that we can be, moving business, and society, forward, in a way that transcends pure profit.

When we choose to uphold trust as a cornerstone of business, by default we embed openness and inclusion. Continuous organisational focus on the value of trust in business automatically gives rise to better ideas, enhanced creativity, and more customer-centric outcomes. This is because trust promotes connection and belonging, allowing the workforce to feel seen and heard. 

3) Embrace continuous learning 

It’s inescapable that we’re now in uncharted territory, economically, societally and environmentally. We’ve huge challenges to overcome, that fundamentally threaten our human operating systems. The way we live, and work has to change. 

As commercial landscapes accelerate, becoming increasingly uncertain and complex, the only way organisations will survive is by committing to continuous learning at work as ’the new normal’. There’s really no other alternative - the speed of commercial change means we’re all in ’perpetual beta’ mode from here on in. 

Those organisations who play round the ages of workplace learning simply won’t make the cut. It’s no longer enough to calculate in advance the structured training needs of others. Learning needs to happen in real-time, and on-the-job. We need each and every stakeholder within our organisations to appreciate and commit to the criticality of learning, however small the learning intention, each and every day. 

4) Communicate, communicate, communicate

As humans, we’re at peak anxiety. We’re hyperconnected and entirely disconnected. We’re all in desperate need of constant positive reinforcement. To this end, world-class continuous internal communication is essential.

It may feel all too much, and as if we’re endlessly repeating ourselves. But in the digital age, I don’t think you can ’over-do’ human-to-human communication, to build connection, and alignment around purpose. 

Here at Working the Future, we’re big fans of Seth Godin. He’s our go-to voice for 21st Century marketing strategy. He recently wrote that the only person who’s heard the entirety of what we, as communicators, have to say, is us. He advocates for spelling things out, again and again, without fear of repetition. He says:

"Tell us what we need to know. Not because you need to hear yourself repeat it, but because you believe we need to hear it."

Digital business landscapes provide untold opportunity for agility and efficiency. But they also isolate us, increasing the chances of misunderstanding. 

We need to be one hundred percent clear and articulate in both our goals, and our intent for alignment around these goals. We do this by nurturing human connection and belonging, and by applying laser-sharp focus to the essential ingredients for high-performance teams. 

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Looking to dive deeper into some of the areas covered in this blog post? Check out our Recruitment and Retention and Foresight Focus reports and products.