20th Dec 2021
Clare Emberson Pratt looks back at 2021 and forward to a future state with more colour and creativity in the workplace, wherever that workplace may be…
Despite the uncertainties, 2021 has been a good year for Emberson. We are fortunate and thankful for this position and our stability as others experience a different reality.
Most importantly we are thankful and grateful to all our stakeholders: customers, the team, our partners and our loved ones for the support, collaboration, and tenacity we have seen.
Whilst many other agencies and service industries, large and small, have struggled globally with productivity issues, and making sense of hybrid working models, our distributed set up since day one, has enabled us to keep a ‘business as usual’ mindset throughout the pandemic and focus on our building blocks for growth.
Our people remain our greatest asset and we are fortunate to have the original founding team members still with us a decade on, whilst successfully attracting new talent.
Our latest recruits have actively demonstrated the growing need for change in the workplace, by voting with their feet. Some have joined us after breaking away from outdated structures, in favour of greater autonomy, flexibility and most importantly, trust. They are all looking for an up-to-date, modern employee experience.
Speaking to an HR partner today we agreed we all work at our best when we can enjoy and experience a full life outside of work. In Emberson we believe that business should do everything in its power to enable that.
Recent research from Forester found that 10% of companies in North America are looking to commit to a fully distributed working model, whilst 60% are looking to embrace hybrid, but predict one in three will fail. The study cites the current talent crisis is masquerading as a management crisis: command and control business culture is not aligned with their new distributed or hybrid working business model and practices. The employee experience is not living up to the promise or expectations.
It is clear the pandemic has transformed the world of work beyond recognition. Businesses will need to work even harder now to reinvent themselves in the new context of the ‘workplace’ and their people.
Undoubtedly, there will be a much greater sense of fluidity and colour in the working landscape as we move forward into 2022 and beyond.
In PwC’s Future of Work Report there are indications of a move away from corporate rigour, traditional metrics and shareholder capitalism (‘blue world of work’). Instead, environmental and sustainable practice will take on a whole new life, accountability and meaning, where greenwashing will become completely unacceptable (‘green world of work’). And importantly, smaller virtual collaborative networks, driven by technology, will be on the rise (the ‘orange world of work’). Here, there will be more of a focus on creativity and agility. Indeed, it is a movement and an approach that has been pioneered by all at Emberson over the past decade.
Our future will continue to be green and orange.
PwC’s recent future of work studies characterise the trends of blue, green and orange working worlds https://www.pwc.com/ee/et/publications/pub/future-of-work-report.pdf.
For further information on Emberson Group visit: https://embersongroup.com/about-us/our-offer/