The New Year brings fresh energy and perspective to everyone. People are excited for new beginnings, setting resolutions, goals, and dreams that they want to achieve or experience this 2017.
The same applies in the workplace. In various industries worldwide, business owners want to continue the previous years’ best practices, innovate on existing processes, and perhaps try to do away with established principles that may not be on par with current technologies and ideas anymore.
Here are four traditional workplace practices that may start to become obsolete in 2017 and beyond.
Emails
With people clamoring for instant everything – messaging, coffee, and fast food – it’s not surprising that the same also applies in office communication. Since emails eat up a lot of data on anyone’s hard drive and server, most management are now pushing for alternative, faster, and perhaps even lighter modes of communication for employees and business managers alike. Live chats, virtual conferences, video calls, and cross-location meetings have been in place in recent years, and these tools will be more relevant this 2017.
Cubicles
If you watch different television series that are in an office setting, you will find that most people work in cubicles. Your parents are possibly used to this setup, too. However, in recent years and more so this 2017, open and collaborative work spaces will be in. Instead of people fixed within their own “square”, so to speak, employees will work seeing everyone else in the room. This open setup also fosters communication, idea-sharing, and trust, making it a favorite among management services consultants and business owners alike.
Fixed Office Hours
With erratic weather conditions, worsening traffic in major business hubs, and different other reasons that make the daily commute a living hell, fixed office hours may not be a good business practice for some industries anymore. After all, existing technologies and management practices like work-from-home, remote desktop connection, and offshore sites have been in place for years and will continue to thrive this year. This aims to achieve work-life balance or life balance in general. It also addresses attendance issues for both the employers and the employees.
Yearly Performance Ratings
How can you say that you have been an effective employee for 2016 if you have not set any goals for that work year? While yearly performance ratings are a basis for business effectiveness and salary increase, the stress, hours, and data gathering involved may be more costly than simply acknowledging an employee’s contribution to the business for a certain year. Some companies have removed performance management reviews and have found it more beneficial to the business. This 2017, more companies may follow this framework, too.
These traditional workplace practices have their own pros and cons, and it depends on the business and its management whether to stop, continue, or modify these for their own benefit.
