Reimagining the Future of Work: Closing the Gaps Between Employers and Employees

What is the Future of Work? How can we reimagine it? And what do we want to take forward, and what do we want to leave behind?

In early 2022, I was invited by Authority Magazine to contribute to an interview series called The Great Resignation & The Future Of Work.

This in-depth interview got me thinking about thinking more deeply about what the world of work has been through in recent years…and most importantly, the people doing the work – us – have all been through.

In this LinkedIn article I explore these questions:

• How can we address our new working reality?
• How can employers “future-proof” their organizations?
• What gaps exist between employers and employees?
• How can we close these gaps?

This post is the second in a three-part series on the Future of Work inspired by my interview in Authority Magazine. I welcome hearing your thoughts in the comments.

Together we can reimagine an even better future for work.

What advice would you offer to employers who want to future-proof their organizations?

As with most things in life, it’s important to focus on what you can control, and identify — and accept — the things that you can’t. 

Attempting to “future-proof” your organization from change is a worthy effort, but not one that will ever be accomplished fully. Change is inevitable, especially when you are working with people.

Let’s focus on what is within your span of control … and that is you — how you treat others, and the culture you create within your organization. 

Developing people is the strategic differentiator

Every leader in every organization is trying to do more, to achieve more, to accomplish more. 

That tends to be the equation for success that many seek to leverage: doing more with less equals greater margins.

But I believe in a different equation. And, in my opinion, it’s the one that helps leaders and organizations achieve more without doing more. 

This equation: 1 + 1 = way more than 2. 

While my math professors might disagree with this from a pure mathematical standpoint, I can guarantee you that when you embrace the essence of this equation when it comes to people, you are setting up your team and your organization to be as “future-proof” as possible.

Intentional leaders know that their people matter … not just because they produce outputs, but because they are at the heart of the organization.

When I was living in Japan, learning with Mr. Isao Yoshino, a seasoned 40-year Toyota leader and the subject of my book Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn, he shared with me a phrase that, I believe, is what sets Toyota apart from others: “We make people while we make cars.”

This motto is embodied throughout their company philosophy because they realize that the best way to develop their product or service is by developing people first. 

The best way to develop their product or service is by developing people first. 

The secret to success: an attitude towards learning

As another Toyota motto goes: “Good thinking; good product.”, or as Mr. Yoshino admitted to me, and is the opening quote to my book, “The only secret to Toyota is its attitude towards learning.”

Curiosity for learning and caring for people is the heart of intentional leadership.

Curiosity for learning and caring for people is the heart of intentional leadership.

And when you do, the basic principles of math that tell us 1 + 1 = 2 just don’t work anymore. When people are empowered, inspired, cared for and seen, they will produce more than could be imagined.

If you want to “future-proof” your organization, invest in your people. Support their learning. Ask for their input. Listen to their ideas. 

Your people will help take your organization to places you haven’t even thought possible.

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?

If organizations want to survive, and thrive, it’s imperative that they take a moment to pause, to go see, and to listen.

Take a moment to pause, to go see, and to listen.

From Toyota and Mr. Yoshino, I learned the importance of having a “go to gemba” (or “go to the place the work happens”) attitude, which means you can’t know what is actually happening until you go and see for yourself. 

This requires you to get out of your office, out from behind the reports and data, and to go to the shop floor or the office (or if virtual — use video conferencing and other technologies to “see”). 

Go with an attitude of caring and curiosity. Ask your employees about their experiences, and spend time listening to really hear what they have to say, with open ears, an open mind, and an open heart.

Go to see with an attitude of caring and curiosity. 

A shift in how work is valued…and accomplished

The pandemic changed the way that work is being accomplished. It also changed how people view their work, and it’s requiring employers to be open-minded to actively seek out and listen to the needs of their employees in ways that they might not have felt compelled to do before. 

There are new requirements employees expect (such as flexibility in working hours and location), and I think the biggest gap between employers and employees is taking time to listen to these needs and consider ways to work a bit differently to accommodate.

The biggest gap between employers and employees is taking time to listen to these needs and consider ways to work.

Today’s workforce isn’t limited by geographical barriers or time-zones. In global organizations, people are working all over the world at various times, and are still achieving goals.

While some employers may see this as a challenge, the ones who bridge this gap the fastest are the ones who see this new workforce as an exciting breeding ground for innovation and collaboration.

The ones who bridge this gap the fastest are the ones who see this new workforce as an exciting breeding ground for innovation and collaboration.

The pandemic introduced the reality that remote working is absolutely possible. While many employers resisted the belief that this was possible, employees have proven that people do not have to be in the same physical location to achieve goals. 

With this in mind, however, if leaders don’t take the time to “go see” they could be creating false assumptions on how employees feel about remote work. 

Without asking — and definitely without listening — this gap expands.

Don't make assumptions about what people want

There is an overarching belief that many employees prefer working from home instead of working in a physical office setting. And while that may be true for some, the reality is more complicated. Some employees love their new work environment, while others couldn’t wait for the opportunity to pivot away from it and return to the office. 

It’s imperative that leaders and employers find ways to continue to accurately assess and respond to the needs of their people in the context of what is happening in their organization, however and wherever their employees work. 

And they must create systems and structures that allow remote working to happen if that’s the desire of their team and in alignment with their line of business, while keeping people connected at the same time

Leaders and employers must find ways to continue to accurately assess and respond to the needs of their people.

This is nothing short of complicated, but when you are intentional with your actions, care about your people, and take time to listen, it can be done. And it is being done within successful teams and organizations across the globe daily.

How are you thinking about the future of work?

Please share your comments below.

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For more thoughts on how we can redesign the future of work together, check out the rest of my interview in Authority Magazine –  The Great Resignation & The Future Of Work: Katie Anderson On How Employers and Employees Are Reworking Work Together and my video and article on The Top 5 Trends to Track in the Future of Work.

Also see the first article in this three-part LinkedIn Series: Reimagining the Future of Work: What to Take Forward and What to Leave Behind

Additional Resources

One of the ways we can provide our people with opportunities for growth and development is to Break the Telling Habit.

This is about knowing how to ask better questions, when to listen, and how to coach others to develop the capability and confidence to solve problems.

Download my free “3 Tips to Break the Telling Habit” Guide – learn how to ask questions more effectively to help others solve more problems by downloading this free guide.

About Katie Anderson

Katie Anderson is an internationally recognized leadership consultant, bestselling author and professional speaker. She has supported thousands of leaders across a range of industries to create organizational learning cultures that foster innovation, engagement, and continuous improvement.

Katie’s bestselling book Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn: Lessons from Toyota Leader Isao Yoshino on a Lifetime of Continuous Learning is available in five languages and has received multiple awards, including being honored as an Eric Hoffer Montaigne Award Finalist.

She holds a BA with honors from Stanford University and was a Fulbright Scholar in Australia, where she received her Master's degree. 

Katie has lived in seven countries, and leads executive study trips to Japan for leaders looking to deepen their knowledge of the Toyota Way and Japanese culture.

Katie’s mission is to empower leaders at all levels to lead with intention to achieve higher levels of performance, increase their personal and professional impact, and create a meaningful legacy.

Visit KBJAnderson.com to learn how Katie can support you, your teams, and your organization revitalize for greater impact.