TALKING

Many C-suite executives , especially CIOs , may be inclined to place the greatest emphasis on the role of technology in defining the future of work . One thing most people can all agree on , however , is that the future of work is about embracing change in business culture and ways of working to move forward together with technology .

The truth is that the future of work has always been here , rooted in history . Mankind has gone through many eras and events that have forced people to wake up and think about doing something different . When we first left caves and started hunting animals – a new form of work – we had to learn to work together .

We had to collaborate to make sure that those working days were successful . In today ’ s modern world , the same principle holds true : we can ’ t just throw technology at a problem or project and expect that to solve it . In reality , it ’ s culture and collaboration ( with the assistance of technology ) that drive forward innovation for organizations .

So , at its core , the future of work is really about finding the right balance between technology , culture and collaboration and how we bring them together to help an organization grow and stay ahead of the challenging curves that are thrown at us .

Cultures that foster inclusivity , engagement and belonging breed innovation high-performing global tech companies from the rest in the future of work .

When people feel respected and needed in an organization , they are more likely to feel engaged in their work , encouraged to participate in creative activities , motivated to innovate , excited to contribute to solve problems in a better way and ultimately catalyze people-centric innovation .

Focusing on creating a secure and stable work environment that is conducive to deep-trust relationships and focuses on the individual on a personal level is a great place to start when defining the culture of a global technology team in the future world of work .

Ian Pitt , CIO at Progress

The future of work is really about finding the right balance between technology , culture and collaboration .

In today ’ s rapidly evolving business and economic systems surrounding the future of work , innovation management is complex but critical for an organization to survive and thrive . Keep in mind , innovation often happens at the intersection of people and business .

That ’ s why in our new world of work , culture cannot simply be defined as ‘ the way things are done .’ It is more about understanding the common set of behaviors , beliefs and underlying mindsets that shape how employees interact and collaborate . Cultural competence , innovation management and peoplecentric values are all crucial factors that will separate

While the role of the modern CIO in the future of work can ’ t be understated , creating the type of people-centric company culture that ultimately drives innovation must come from the top down in order to be effective . Unless the company as a whole makes it clear that everyone is free to innovate and encourages that innovation , it ’ s not going to happen .

That can be as simple as making sure there ’ s enough people on each team for everyone to complete work projects on time , to implementing more creative solutions such as holding ‘ innovation days ’ in your organization where anything goes .

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