Author: Varsha Avadhany, Community Relations Specialist

When you interview many leaders on when they would leave a job, the answer would be “The day I get up on a Monday morning and say… Oh Lord, I have to get to work”. This used to be the scenario when jobs were available in abundance… Here are the statements of new era of employees;

“I got laid off… the pink slip… The automation project finally came true… The Robo genie took over my role”

“Took a career break… Needed to take care of children… Now wonder what job roles I will get”

“I am so tired by this monotonous work life… Want a long vacation, a sabbatical… Can I work from Timbuktu?”

The last decade has seen such rapid change… Recession, Automation, Job loss, Short term goal sheet, Rapid leadership changes. These rapid market changes has started the trend of shifting goal posts thus questioning the core value systems of organizations. While one can raise many questions… crib, complain, cry over it…. The fact is that accepting this change and adapting to new era of work life thus keeping our Emotional Quotient intact.

So what does a NEW ERA OF WORKPLACE mean? Have taken a shot of explaining this in the below diagram

VISIBILITY:

Our grandparents/ parents have always guided us HARDWORK ALWAYS PAYS DIVIDENDS, WORK WILL SPEAK FOR ITSELF… Now when we sit in an appraisal meeting our bosses say, BE A SMARTWORKER… LEARN TO BRAG, TOOT ABOUT YOUR SKILLS. Well, for some of us this could contradict our value system. Why it is essential, we can ask…The reason is the population explosion in educated and skilled workforce. We are one a million people and not to forget the Robo also who is wanting the same job role… So Friends, it is time we showed why we are a superior being and a pleasurable personality to work with… Time to learn subtle skills to BRAG and TOOT!

PRESENCE:

Success Mantra: One body, multiple hands and multi attention brain

Morning rush at an office gate to punch the card to mark attendance, take rounds of the shop floor, attend meetings, coffee network sessions, work on presentation and reports… then rush in the evening for a wonderful time playing with the kids. You are counted if you are PHYSICALLY present at your workplace.  Now that is replaced with packing off the children to school/ summer camp to start the multi-tasking day by plonking oneself on the couch with the laptop, attending to skype call at the same time work on a presentation, order the maid what to cook for lunch/ dinner, call the plumber repair the water connection, research for next travel expedition. Somewhere in between grab a quick bite, do some work out, call your parents / in laws and may be tend to the garden. The laptop never switches off, while you wonder what all you have done during the day and the To Do list is still keep piling up… Friends, this is the welcome to VIRTUAL WORKSPACE, ever present, ever alert, and ever agile… Gear up to answer every second less you are replaced!

TEAM:

Emotions are only seen on Social Media platforms

Corporate leaders would say “Our team is our Family… Always watch their backs and standup for each other come what may”.  These leaders would ensure that an annual family gathering event to meet and know your family, your team members would be your friend, philosopher, and guide. Turn to the modern era… Your team member is across the globe working in different time zone and at times your arch rival competing with you for the same job role. Now your emotional quotient has to have a mature development to not only work with invisible team member but also have virtual shadow boxing match with ghost work partner across the globe belonging to different culture bound together by the web world. Friends, Forget emotions like loyalty, team spirit etc. etc. … Brace up and get your job done… Emotions are only meant for Emote Icons!

The connecting thread in all these WORK / LIFE is the ONLINE WEB WORLD… Smart phones, Smart watches, Tablets seen so much more necessity rather than a luxury today… Meant to reduce the fidgetiness / stress of not being connected… But then every ease brings with other stressors… The question ARE YOU ABLE ADAPTER… A MERCURY!!

While we adapt to this new era of workplace… We can get into the debate Gen X, Gen Y and Millennials working to together… Having Octogenarians as CEOs and still agile to run large companies…. Waiting for the debate!!