The New World of Work, By Zoom’s Dilyana Ivanova

Many wonder what’s next for a workforce that has successfully operated from home since the early days of 2020. While the consideration of adopting remote, hybrid, or in-office mode of work is only one aspect, organizations have experienced a rapid transformation at their core. The Middle East and the UAE have been paving the way for digital transformation for years. Since the onset of the pandemic, the efforts towards a digitally transformed and smart region have been accelerating.

Work is something we do, not a place we have to be. At least, not anymore. The marketing and media field has seen significant benefits thanks to the surge of hybrid and remote work practices, as the industry noticed that remote work streamlined productivity and did not interrupt the day-to-day workflow. In the Middle East, across many organizations, employees have demonstrated they can work productively from anywhere. In fact, research in the UAE revealed that 64% of employees consider the ability to work from anywhere, office or home, as a driver of satisfaction and happiness.

With most MENA employees believing that remote work will remain a trend post the pandemic, it’s time to carry the agile, flexible technology core to pandemic continuity into a new age focused on an elevated employee experience, engagement, and exponential growth.

The rules have changed

The pandemic forced companies and people to breakthrough technological, process, leadership, and cultural norms to adapt rapidly to a swath of new challenges. As a result, employees had to adjust to a new pace and definition of work, which spawned a new set of expectations. Now, the office is no longer the dominant workplace, and companies are prioritizing creating a workspace defined by technology tailored to employees’ needs, not the other way around.

While it took a global pandemic for many businesses to realize how legacy solutions impede productivity and fully comprehend the importance of digital transformation, the technology that allowed continuity would not necessarily result in longevity if leaders don’t have a strategy. The right technology must permeate all aspects of a business to drive organizational transformation. Solutions designed with flexibility, interoperability, and specific outcomes in mind will be the linchpin to any transformation strategy. Chief among these outcomes is the employee experience.

The new era of work also empowered more people to make decisions. It showed us that the processes previously held in high regard could relax, therefore enabling organizations to move swiftly. Many CEOs have now found that this is a dramatically better model for running their business. As leaders, we found ourselves “not managing people” but rather “managing work.”  The daily grind of the “9-to-5” was no longer in effect; people worked on their own schedules to complete their tasks.

The golden era of hybrid work

 About 70% of organizations in the UAE adopted the hybrid working model due to the onset of the global pandemic. A recent survey revealed that 84% of UAE business and IT decision-makers believe that at least a quarter of their workforce will remain hybrid post-pandemic

The speed and ease of collaboration among remote and hybrid teams across business-critical applications and tools will determine success in the modern workplace.

Strategic technology adoption is not just a necessity. It is also a catalyst for opportunity and differentiation. When equipped with the proper architecture, today’s businesses can usher in a new age of hybrid work that is characterized by growth and meaningful outcomes. This new era will provide incredible opportunities for employees and employers alike — recruitment will have no boundaries, diversity will find new ways to flourish, and employees will develop a renewed relationship with their employer and colleagues. Happy, connected teams can do their best work wherever they are — rooting work in a sense of people and purpose, rather than a place. The results will pay massive dividends in the long run.

Innovation and agility go hand in hand

Tomorrow belongs to those who take the time to evolve today. As we look to embrace this new hybrid era, adopting agility is paramount. As the world evolves, we have to evolve along with it. The past few months put a spotlight on what is most important to business success: talent, transformation, and trust.

Embracing the change ahead requires you to transform processes, build a scalable and flexible infrastructure, and integrate a business’s technologies with its overall strategy.