Source: My Benefit Advisor

It’s quite evident that the past few years have seen drastic shifts in the country’s workplace environment. For many people, changes in the workplace can create stress and discomfort as they are required to vacate the norms and practices long held to attempt new ways of working and interacting with fellow employees and company leaders.

Change is Good

But change is good, and in fact, it is essential to virtually all aspects of business life.  And in fact, change has been a reality in the business world since well before the modern workplace was established.  The pandemic simply accelerated the rate of change. Typically, companies that modify their practices to adapt to change open the doors to creative opportunities and often thrive. The ability to recognize the need to change and face the challenges head-on will not only benefit the company itself but also the individuals who comprise the workforce.

Businesses that fail to adapt to these changes can often stagnate or even fail.  The stale environment they foster stifles creativity and the birth of new and forward-thinking ideas.  And many times, it’s these new ideas that lead to better opportunities for overall success through more efficient operations, fresh new product or unique, cutting-edge services.

Forces Impacting a Company’s Need for Change

For a variety of reasons, today’s workforce has taken on a look different and very unique from that of the past. Business owners, aware of these shifts and the dynamic changes between employer/employee relationships, have taken notice and are reshaping their workplace practices and benefit portfolios to avoid any potential turnover in their workforce.

The new look of today’s workplace is due to a variety of factors, each of which may impact individual companies to various degrees.  Here are a few forces that may work to pressure company leadership to consider changes to established practices:

• Employee Demographics… For possibly the first time in history, there can be five different generations in the workplace. Each age group comes with a unique perspective on their work responsibilities and have life-style specific needs and interests.  For employers, understanding this multigenerational dynamic and its implications is essential for driving innovation and maintaining cohesive and productive work groups.
• Changes in Workplace Structure… The pandemic changed the traditional model of work in an office environment. Today, most people work remotely and although many firms have tried luring workers back to the office, for the most part, they’ve had limited success.  Hybrid work models are likely the norm going forward but will pressure the company’s employee culture, engagement and productivity methods and levels.
• Changing Focus on Diversity, Inclusion and Equity… The employee population of today has seen shifts in gender roles and includes an ever-widening range of racial groups and ethnic backgrounds. Many of these groups, notably including women, are commanding a greater sphere of influence and power.  And these same employees are demanding new approaches to work culture, looking for employers to recognize their personal needs and value, both in the workplace and in their home life. As a result, employers are offering more competitive pay, enhanced health benefits and flexible work-from-home arrangements.  But more than just competitive pay, employees have demanded racial, gender and pay equity.  Employers have recognized that creating an inclusive culture is important to the success of their company and its long-term growth and profitability, since today’s employees are quick to begin searching for new employment if they feel their needs are not being met.
• Changes in Government… Whether on a local or national level, changes in government invariably involves a shift in political agenda, which often times impacts how businesses operate. In obvious terms this can refer to compliance issues, but employers need to also look carefully for indirect and more subtle impacts as well.

In short, employers should view change as good.  Today’s workplace demands constant attention to changing dynamics, but the reward for adaptation to needed changes often means the difference between success and failure.

The Columbia-Montour Chamber of Commerce offers its members access to My Benefit Advisor as a solution for employee benefits, including voluntary offerings. For more information about My Benefit Advisor, visit our website at cmcc.mybenefitadvisor.com or contact Stephen Lylo at (917) 692-8192.