The Leader - September/October 2008 - (Page 18) th e fu tu r e o f the W o rkp lace : W hat’ s Ne xt I s he re n n n n n The assumption that the business market core will remain in North America and Europe Continued antiquated thinking concerning flexible working, rather than evolving thinking about the axiom that work is what you ‘do’ and not where you ‘go’ Total standardization of workplace solutions Increased taxes on scarce resources Lack of information, wisdom and judgements in a knowledge society being damaging to the workplace Complex heterogeneous workplace environments that are crowded with a multitude of different desktop and portable PCs, mobile and wireless devices, printers, networks and applications, with little or no technical support from organizations which has proven difficult and costly for IT organizations to manage and support; fads and fashion threatening long-term strategic decision-making within organizations. BackGrouND terns and locations all within the aegis of facilities management. Providers of physical and virtual workspaces need a clear understanding of the forces driving these changes and their impact, not only on individuals, but also on the organizations themselves. To this end, the Futures Academy in the Dublin Institute of Technology has collaborated with Johnson Controls to produce this report. Its aims are to: n Explore the changing context and nature of the workplace in the 21st century n Identify the challenges faced by a global workplace solution n Examine the current and emerging trends n Build a roadmap for the future As part of the process, The Futures Academy undertook in-depth background research. It analysed the data from survey questionnaires and held strategic discussions. In May 2007, a ‘Futures’ Workshop was held in conjunction with Johnson Controls Global WorkPlace Solutions to identify and discuss emerging concepts, challenges and uncertainties surrounding the workplace change debate. To better understand the uncertainties, trends and interrelated forces influencing the shape and direction of the workplace, a creative approach was adopted. It is argued in this document and by the writers that a creative approach — in particular a “futures” approach — offers a broader insight into workplace prospects and generates a recognizable representation of what the future might hold. At The Futures Academy, the creative approach of the “Prospective Through Scenarios” methodology has been advocated. This methodology has been developed to explore and inspire imaginative and shared thinking. It is a process that enables decision-makers to envision a preferred future for their organizations and prepares them for navigating uncertainty. It results in improved and more informed decisions. Using scenario techniques enables us to expand our mental horizons. By developing a number of plausible scenarios, we can better understand and accept change. This will stimulate debate about the future move toward a common approach to change. The scenarios will not work if they are seen as a gimmick. The scenarios show that, given the impossibility of knowing precisely how the future will play out, a good decision or strategy is one that plays out well across several possible futures. the sceNarIos This report offers an approach towards overcoming the continued resistance to change in the workplace. It is an era characterized by global economic boom, cutting edge technological inventions and the rising power of international brands. These factors are fueling the competition for talent between organizations and changing the workplace. Workplace change and innovation has become critical to the future of organizations in a dynamic, economy-driven and knowledge-based society. Managing this change, however, is a vital dimension underpinning successful transition — to new work styles, pat- Scenario One: Jazz This scenario assumes an unprecedented acceleration of economic growth, relentless pressure for short-term gains and fierce competition on a global scale, driven by rapid technological advances and further market integration. It is a world where entrepreneurship, innovation and individual responsibility are favored. Give and take is keenly attuned to the opportunities of the moment and at the same time alert to ways of incorporating long term values into strategies for commercial success. Free market reforms have moved governments everywhere to downsize, deregulate and privatize. The ‘global village’ of 2030 offers competitive market economies propelled 2 0 0 8 th e le aDe r 18 septemBer / octoBer
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