Future of work Module 2 "Organizational Future Fitness"

Being prepared for both opportunities and challenges in the future working world, by adjusting short- and long-term actions accordingly.

Future fitness is the long term orientation of a company and its individuals

Its relevant for

1. Our society: sensitivity for future trends and policies will help people to transfer this into the future, such as with proper education in job changes

2. Our personal lives

3. Organizations: need to be able to react to market changes

1. Possible Selves Theory (Markus & Nurius 1986)

2. Hopes and fears theory (Nurmi 1987)

3. Future time perspective (Trommsdorff 1983, Lens & Moreas 1944)

4. Aspirations and expectations ( Gottfredson 1981, Messersmith & Schulenberg 2008)

• Possible selves are positive and negative images of the self already in a future state

• Positive selves matter for goal setting and motivation

Future Orientation as creating positive and negative images of oneself in the future.

• Hopes are idealistic views of the future

• ^^Fears ^^are things people want to avoid in the future

• Hopes and fears lead to motivation

• Hopes and fears as drivers of future-oriented thinking

• Insights about the sources of motivation

(FTP) is a summary of multiple views: FTP as personality trait: orientation of oneself towards the future and future goals with foresight

• FTP as coping strategy: development of a list of

possible outcomes to reduce uncertainty

Future orientation as personality trait and coping strategy

Aspirations as number of desired possible objectives in a certain period of time

Expectations as reachable objectives in a certain period of time

Future Orientation as a combination of “aspirations" and “expectation".

1. Scenario planning and trend extrapolation

2. Future work navigator

3. COMFURNACY approach

is a hypothetical image of the future based on a coherent combination of possible developments of different influencing factors

1. Best case scenario

2. Most likely scenarios

3. Zero scenario (unreal cause there are no changes in the future)

4. Most likely scenarios

5. Worst case scenario

method for describing possible future configurations of a company's environment, including alternative paths leading from the present to these configurations

1. Trend-based (trend extrapolation)

2. Systematically formalized (impact analysis) (also Scenario funnel)

3. Creative narrative (intuitive logics) also Scenario funnel)

At least 5 years

Identify future scenarios on the development of future of work

• Identification of trends based on prior developments

• Projection of prior developments into the future

• Application of statistical methods (quantitative or qualitative)

Time is only driver, so its unrealistic for companies to draw serious conclusions about the future of work

1. Analysis: identify all potential trends that are relevant for the future of work , relevant influencing factors.

2. Projection: For the relevant influencing factors, develop possible projections

3. Combining: combine development options and create consistent scenarios

4. Transfer:

• Deriving opportunities and threats

• Identify future challenges

Trend extrapolation draws conclusions from prior developments ( time as one independent variable) and scenario funnel focuses on alternative possible future developments

To find out how can companies manage their business in a future oriented way

1. Focus: entire organization or specific units

2. Perspective: 5-10 years

3. Scope: the navigator attempts to measure and manage the future fitness

Increase companies innovativeness and performance

1. Dynamic capabilities (sensing, seizing, transforming)

2. Ambidexterity theory (exploitation, exploration, integration)

The future work navigator can be used in the following areas of an organization:

1. strategy development

2. organization design

3. increase technology & innovation activities

The future work navigator can help people in an organization to:

guide employees and leaders to become future oriented

1. future orientation

2. exploration

3. exploitation

4. integration

captures the consistent orientation of a company's activities towards future requirements of relevant markets and the needs of future employees.

(captures the consistent activities the company is doing towards future relevant markets and employee requirements)

captures the continuous optimization of existing working methods and products in terms of an efficient management of today's business.

describes the extent, to which companies are already experimenting with new working environments (e.g., agile working, new forms of corporate democracy) and testing new business models.

indicates how well a company combines current and future work concepts.

1. Innovativeness (exploration)

2. Profitability (exploitation)

Similar to future work navigator, To find out how can companies manage their business in a future oriented way

1. focus: firm campus or office worlds

2. perspective: 5-10 years

3. scope: assessing future proof office worlds

1. future orientation: the extent to which an office element will still meet employees needs in 5-10 years time

2. Sustainability : materials, production and disposal of office elements

3. Innovativeness: whether an office element is new, unique and if it stimulates creativity

4. Customer excitement: if an office element is enjoyable

5. Recreation / work-life-balance: office element that supports short breaks

6. Techno-logical integration: if an office element can be combined with other elements or with technology

7. Team work: if an office element promotes communication between colleagues and teamwork

8. Ergonomics: healthy, comfortable and safe office elements

9. Functionality and usefulness: if office elements work and are useful

1. price

2. integration (into my home)

3. flexibility (to use at home)

4. quality