| As 2005 starts to slowly fade in our rear | | | | health and well-being is their top priority. |
| view mirror, I get excited about thinking | | | | Without healthy minds, it will be impossible |
| what we will see ahead of us in the areas of | | | | for them to realize the productivity gains |
| workplace trends. After reading numerous | | | | and increase their capacity for growth. On |
| articles, attending conferences and analyzing | | | | the other hand, as clearly stated in Watson |
| research reports, here's what my crystal ball | | | | Wyatt's 2005 Staying@Work survey, employers |
| says are the top 10 trends we'll be seeing in | | | | are "increasingly concerned about mental |
| the workplace in 2006:As businesses struggle | | | | health claims, but don't know how to address |
| to attract and retain the best and the | | | | the issues or meet their goals of increasing |
| brightest people in a hot market, as our | | | | productivity". 2006 will become the year |
| population continues to gray, and the global | | | | that employers finally get it and will start |
| economy gains more momentum, employers will | | | | to tackle the health issues head-on.There is |
| have to start managing and engaging their | | | | no room for the computer illiterate. |
| work force. All the automation, tools and | | | | Computers have found their way into every |
| processes will go in vein if there aren't | | | | part of corporate Canada. They are on our |
| good people to create, invent and manage the | | | | desks, in our production lines, in our homes, |
| business.William Bridges noted it first. | | | | in our cars and in our hands. Developing and |
| Technology, information and communications | | | | nurturing computer know-how will be essential |
| have come together to radically and | | | | to everyone in the work place.There is no |
| permanently change the structure of work. | | | | longer a clear skill set that every person |
| This trend is not about losing jobs; rather, | | | | can count on to be successful in whatever |
| it is about redefining our understanding of | | | | career they are in. No more clear-cut career |
| work and learning how to develop ourselves | | | | paths that articulate the road to success or |
| within this understanding. People in | | | | to the corner office. The workplace will no |
| workplaces will need to learn how to | | | | longer guarantee people a job, increased |
| continually embrace change and re-configure | | | | learning or a step up a ladder. Everyone |
| their career portfolios.Top research from | | | | must take responsibility and get ready for |
| around the world, such as that drawn from | | | | their own future.The media has done an |
| Goldman and Pink has earmarked the movement | | | | excellent job highlighting the fact that more |
| away from the Information Age and toward the | | | | top talent is opting out of the corporate |
| dawning of the Conceptual Age. The abilities | | | | scene. One of the key reasons that is cited |
| that will matter and fast become most valued | | | | repeatedly is the value misalignment between |
| in the workplace include empathy, counseling, | | | | the organization's values and their own. |
| seeing the big picture and creativity. | | | | People are tuning into what life coaches call |
| Whole-brained thinking will take front seat | | | | "core values". They are finding that the |
| to the traditional left-brain thinking which | | | | road to personal success and gratification |
| only rewards the more critical, strategic and | | | | isn't so much about position or personal |
| analytical thinker.There is a shift from | | | | wealth. Rather it is about tuning into what |
| people separating their work and life, toward | | | | really matters to them and setting up |
| recognition that we have one life, in which | | | | personal boundaries to honour their top |
| work takes up a huge chunk. People want to | | | | values. Organizations will need to step |
| feel good about themselves and express who | | | | things up a notch. More important than a |
| they are whether in their work, at the gym or | | | | list of values framed and posted in the foyer |
| at home. A healthy lifestyle is becoming a | | | | and hallways, will be the sense of how people |
| priority for many people in today's | | | | are treated, communicated with and |
| workplace. Organizations who want to attract | | | | valued.Similar to road rage, inter-personal |
| top talent will start to enhance their | | | | conflict is on the rise at many workplaces. |
| culture and processes to support the | | | | As people are feeling overwhelmed with |
| lifestyler at work.Flexibility has become | | | | expectations, impatient, underappreciated and |
| almost a mantra for today's employee. | | | | faced with numerous demands on their mental |
| Flexibility in this context is not about the | | | | space and energy, work rage is on the |
| ability to adapt to change and handle | | | | upswing. People in organizations are going |
| surprises (which itself is key in being | | | | to have to get creative in enhancing |
| successful in today's world). Rather it's | | | | egalitarian relationships, tempering |
| about the desire to have flexible work | | | | generational differences and facilitating |
| arrangements. For example, telecommute, | | | | healthy interpersonal conflict awareness and |
| attend a child's concert, take care of an | | | | management. The aerobic lifestyle is not |
| aging parent, workout in the middle of the | | | | going to disappear. But how we cope and |
| day, work part time without being penalized | | | | manage life demands and deal with conflict |
| ... those things that will allow an | | | | will be of crucial importance.Elizabeth |
| individual to find some way of gaining | | | | Lengyel is a work life coach who helps people |
| control of their life. People want a | | | | from blue suits to blue jeans, transition |
| workplace that will support them in managing | | | | from career pain to career solutions. |
| their supersonic treadmill of life.Employers | | | | Creating an edge for today's small business - |
| will soon find out, if they haven't already, | | | | cultivating the potential of people, creating |
| that taking care of their employee's mental | | | | meaningful careers and fostering growth. |