News
The Future of Work
As restrictions continue to be lifted, we will soon find ourselves returning to our offices and fleshing out some of the more tangible aspects of the era defining phrase - “the new normal”.
Getting to this point took a lot of hard work, some of which we documented when we highlighted the work undertaken by the UCC Academy HR team, who went to great lengths to redefine our office in the weeks after campus was initially shut down.
Not to be without a voice in the national discourse around the “new normal”, last December, our CEO, Arlene Vithaldas, contributed her thoughts around getting the balance right with remote working by making sure that it provided solutions that benefit business, individuals and wider society.
Some of the themes Arlene touched on also feature in some of team’s favourite articles outlining why working from home is here to stay, including the challenges we all faced, and the importance of ensuring diversity and inclusion when considering the #FutureofWork.
- To help organizations through the transition, Microsoft’s 2021 Work Trend Index outlines findings from a study of more than 30,000 people in 31 countries and discusses the 7 trends that will shape the future of the hybrid work world.
- As UCC’s in-house consultancy, we look closely at academic research. This Stanford University Study moves beyond anecdotal evidence to explore the practical reasons why working from home is here to stay.
- Of course, there are Challenges to #WFH too. Some of which were touched on during a panel discussion featuring UCC MBA graduates and Industry leaders that UCC Academy Marketing & Comms Project Manager, Nicola Stathers, helped organise. You may enjoy listening back to their reflections.
- Importantly, another thing to remember is that the remote workplace must continue to lead on initiatives that support all employees. As such, we love this guide which describes 34 unique diversity characteristics and reminds us what true inclusivity requires.