How communicators can champion change amid work transformation

The ‘future of work’ requires a reimagining of more than where and how work is done. Here’s how comms pros can help their organizations adapt.

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The “future of work” is no longer some conceptual fantasy for future generations. After the COVID-19 pandemic and the myriad examples of digital transformation that have occurred, work is changing.

Yet, even the most ardent advocates of the future of work might not be thinking big enough when it comes to how work will change.

A lot of people connect the “how” and “where” we work to future of work, explained Beverly Troxtell, head of HR change management and HR evolution for Paypal.  Instead, the future of work and the transformation it represents is much bigger and broader.

Troxtell shared her thoughts as part of a session for Ragan’s Employee Communications and Culture Conference on Feb. 16. in a session titled “The Future of Work and Employee Engagement: It’s Complicated.”

For communicators, the reinvention of work norms means questioning old models for evaluating employee happiness and well-being.

Prior to the pandemic, we were talking about employee engagement not employee experience, Troxtell shared. Now, when companies interrogate the idea of the employee experience, they realize there is much more to it than “engagement.”

“Most companies surveyed once a year,” said Troxtell. “Now, it’s about wellness, mental health and happiness.”

Managing change

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