COVID-19 accelerated changes that were already reshaping the workplace, including digitization, remote working, distributed workforces, asynchronous and virtual collaboration, and reskilling and upskilling. Companies can keep the momentum going—there is an opportunity now to boldly design a future of work that’s based on what the work requires and what talent needs.
Work will never be the same. A June 2021 study from Future Forum (of which BCG is a founding member) assessed more than 10,000 knowledge workers in six countries and found that 93% want a flexible schedule, 76% want flexibility in where they work, and 56% are open to a job change.
As leaders navigate the future of work, they must balance two fundamental goals: to manage the operational challenges of near-term decisions regarding a return to premises and to invest in innovative work and talent models designed to address customers’ and employees’ changing demands.