Expansion in Data collection: Employers need to use the maximum of the technologies to track the employee data. Some use them to track productivity, whereas others use them for getting insights into the employee’s engagement rate.
When it comes to designing the future of work, one size fits none. Discovering success isn’t about a hybrid model or offering remote work options. Individuals and organizations are looking for more freedom. The freedom to choose the work model that makes the most sense. The freedom to choose their own values. And the freedom to pursue what matters most. We reached out to successful leaders and thought leaders across all industries to glean their insights and predictions about how to create a future that works.
As a part of our interview series called “How Employers and Employees are Reworking Work Together,” we had the pleasure to interview Daniela Sawyer.
Daniela Sawyer, Founder of FindPeopleFast.net, a web-based people searching website.
Thank you for making time to visit with us about the topic of our time. Our readers would like to get to know you a 1bit better. Can you please tell us about one or two life experiences that most shaped who you are today?
Of course, the pleasure is mine. For those who don’t know, I am Daniela Sawyer, the Founder of a company named “FindPeopleFast.” Two things helped me shape myself. Those include persistence and smart work. Many people think that hard work would pay off well. Even though it is true, smart works are preferable to complex works, and practicing both would work well. Also, many don’t possess the former and the latter, thinking that any one of them is sufficient enough to achieve their goals.
Let’s zoom out. What do you predict will be the same about work, the workforce, and the workplace 10–15 years? What do you predict will be different?
In my view, the advent of the pandemic has taught us a new method of working, and it has found its place within a brief period, say a year or two. Even though this technique existed years ago, the most implemented only now. In the upcoming years, most companies would implement either hybrid or work from a home method into their businesses after considering its pros and cons. Apart from that, technologies like the Internet of Things, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Metaverse will help promote the customer experience of the company where they are being applied.
What advice would you offer to employers who want to future-proof their organizations?
I suggest they not depend on a single part of their organization to earn profits. The product portfolio must be diversified to the maximum. Many companies have earned their fame and name with just a single primary product in the past. But, the same does not apply to today’s business. To increase the chances of survival of your business, you should be able to diversify the products on time.
What do you predict will be the biggest gaps between what employers are willing to offer and what employees expect as we move forward? And what strategies would you offer about how to reconcile those gaps?
Poor communication between the employees and the employers would cause a great disaster in maintaining the wellbeing and stability of the workplace. Sometimes, the employers do not care for the health of the employees. This would reduce their belief in building up a constructive and supportive workplace, and it eventually ends up with reduced efficiency and productivity. To overcome this, formal sessions must be conducted to maintain stability in the worker-employer relationship. This would also help the employers look into the crisis in the workplace and solve them at the earliest.
We simultaneously joined a global experiment together last year called “Working From Home.” How will this experience influence the future of work?
The future of work will hugely depend on this method of working. This is because the benefits that it holds are applicable for both sides, i.e., the employers and the business owners. Even though communication is the place where we would lag, various methods can be used to establish a good connection between the former and the latter.
We’ve all read the headlines about how the pandemic reshaped the workforce. What societal changes do you foresee as necessary to support a future of work that works for everyone?
The pandemic has had a significant impact on the companies, starting from the small scale and mini ones to the mega ones. The majority of the effect has occurred in the supply chain and the workforce. Societal changes ought to be introduced in these areas to overcome any discrepancies in the future. Some of them include prioritizing the mental health of the workers and valuing their opinions, conducting meets very often to come up with plans that can be used to get rid of the anomalies, and even caring for the state that the workforce is in.
What is your greatest source of optimism about the future of work?
Even these days, the internet is the primary and critical source that every business operates on. Many techniques are introduced and applied to increase efficiency and reduce the time involved. I believe that these technologies and their inventions would impact the future of work. As long as these inventions exist, the chances of workforces crashing down are infinitesimally low and even impossible. Whenever it is on the verge of facing a downfall, a new technique will be introduced to save it. This is how it’s going to operate in the future.
Our collective mental health and wellbeing are now considered collateral as we consider the future of work. What innovative strategies do you see employers offering to help improve and optimize their employee’s mental health and wellbeing?
The importance and recognition given to the mental health care of the employees have increased multifold when compared to the years in the past. Various strategies are introduced to help the employees have a better life. These strategies include changing the workforce from in-office mode to WFH or a hybrid workforce, setting up a team that cares for the team members, giving counseling to the ones that need it, giving some days off to them, and offering them four-day works than the usual five days of work.
It seems like there’s a new headline every day. ‘The Great Resignation’. ‘The Great Reconfiguration’. And now the ‘Great Reevaluation’. What are the most important messages leaders need to hear from these headlines? How do company cultures need to evolve?
News like this would be terrifying to business owners, especially during trying times like these. But, the primary reason behind this is poor responses and committee setting from the employers’ side. To retain their workers, they must develop unique plans that can be implemented to seek better results in the workers’ productivity. It should primarily focus on reducing the turnover rate. This would not be possible without the business owners caring for the physical, financial, and mental wellbeing of the individuals.
Let’s get more specific. What are your “Top 5 Trends To Track In the Future of Work?” (Please share a story or example for each.)
Increased online or remote working: This would require the employees to adapt to the digital collaborations and work accordingly. This would be a time-requiring act, but it is a must-do thing to perceive a better result.
Expansion in Data collection: Employers need to use the maximum of the technologies to track the employee data. Some use them to track productivity, whereas others use them for getting insights into the employee’s engagement rate.
Expansion in the Contingent workforce: The pandemic has caused its effects in every possible way, and as a result, contingent workers are much more available than ever. This has driven a positive effect amongst the employers as it could be viewed as a solution for the labor shortage.
Expansion in the role of the employers: In these days, the role of the employers has increased multifold, say they are also needed to look for the financial, physical, and mental wellbeing of the individuals under their workplace. Though this is hugely appreciated, the burden upon the business owners has increased too.
Increase in the complexity of the workplace: Geographic diversification is increased as the companies are trying to expand their businesses. The companies adopt some methods to improve the complexity of their work to overcome the failures. This has resulted in some challenges that employers are left to solve.
I keep quotes on my desk and on scraps of paper to stay inspired. What’s your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? And how has this quote shaped your perspective?
Yes, as I am very addicted to music, I would point out only powerful lyrics. I am a fan of some quotes, but I can’t sort them now. My favorite life lesson quote is “Confidence is throwing your heart through every brick wall” by Selena Gomez. It is a part of a song named ‘dance again.’ I find this lyric very motivational, inspiring, and optimistic. I used to think that confidence is doing the right things all the time, but now I have realized that it is trying everything that you want with a smile on your face, regardless of the consequences.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He, she, or they might just see this if we tag them.
Yes, I have a list of celebrities I want to spend time with. The one who tops the list is the Popstar Olivia Rodrigo. I have been a die-hard fan of her ever since she started her career in music. I am addicted to her songwriting skills, and if I could ever spend a day or two with her and talk about her achievements and how much of a fan I am, that would be the dream-come-true moment of my life.
Our readers often like to continue the conversation with our featured interviewees. How can they best connect with you and stay current on what you’re discovering?
There are plenty of methods through which they can follow my work and stay connected to it, like subscribing themselves to the official website of the company, i.e., FindPeopleFast.net and getting the info via notifications, and following the pages that we have put on the social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, and LinkedIn. They can also mail me at [email protected] in case they are facing any issues or queries regarding the project.
Thank you for sharing your insights and predictions. We appreciate the gift of your time and wish you continued success and good health.
I am so grateful for you to have invited me to this subliminally great session, and I have had one of the best moments of my life sharing my thoughts and ideas with you. I wish you good luck to you in the future times.