TechHR
ex
L&D
UNPLUGGED
Sphere
About Us • Contact Us
People Matters ANZ
People Matters Logo
Login / Signup
People Matters Logo
Login / Signup
  • Current
  • Top Stories
  • News
  • Magazine
  • Research
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • Podcast

© Copyright People Matters Media Pte. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

  • HotTopic
    HR Folk Talk FutureProofHR
  • Strategy
    Leadership Csuite StrategicHR EmployeeRelations BigInterview
  • Recruitment
    Employer Branding Appointments Permanent Hiring Recruitment
  • Performance
    Skilling PerformanceMgmt Compensation Benefits L&D Employee Engagement
  • Culture
    Culture Life@Work Diversity Watercooler SheMatters
  • Tech
    Technology HR Technology Funding & Investment Startups Metaverse
  • About Us
  • Advertise with us
  • Become a sponsor
  • Contact Us
  • Feedback
  • Write For Us

Follow us:

Privacy Policy • Terms of Use

© Copyright People Matters Media Pte. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

People Matters Logo
  • Current
  • Top Stories
  • News
  • Magazine
  • Research
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • Podcast
Login / Signup

Categories:

  • HotTopic
    HR Folk Talk FutureProofHR
  • Strategy
    Leadership Csuite StrategicHR EmployeeRelations BigInterview
  • Recruitment
    Employer Branding Appointments Permanent Hiring Recruitment
  • Performance
    Skilling PerformanceMgmt Compensation Benefits L&D Employee Engagement
  • Culture
    Culture Life@Work Diversity Watercooler SheMatters
  • Tech
    Technology HR Technology Funding & Investment Startups Metaverse
How empowered employees are transforming the future of work

Story • 20th Jun 2022 • 3 Min Read

How empowered employees are transforming the future of work

Employee Relations#Future of Work

Author: Mastufa Ahmed Mastufa Ahmed
8.7K Reads
Workers trying to institutionalise their newfound power are calling forth positive changes, globally. But, will it stick?

In March 2022, 4.5 million Americans quit their jobs. The number of job opportunities during the month, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, hit a new high of 11.5 million. Similarly, a record high of 1.2 million job openings were reported by the Office for National Statistics in the UK in January. Global labour shortages have made it difficult for businesses in many industries to fill vacancies.

There is growing evidence that companies are losing ground to workers, who are in a position to bargain with their current and potential bosses and cherry-pick jobs that suit them best. As power shifts to workers in the labour market, employers are attempting to retain the best talent by enhancing salaries, perks, health coverage, and mental health assistance. 

As such, a great reprioritisation of work, rewards, and careers is underway, with candidates increasingly weighing options against how their role aligns with the company's values. Many industries are seeing an increase in strikes and activism, and knowledge workers are resisting return-to-work regulations and walking out.

Some of the disruptions and the changes made to respond to the disruptions have completely redefined our workplaces, says Chaitali Mukherjee, Leader - People & Organisation, PwC India. “The shift is deep, not transient, and there is critical learning which shouldn’t be wasted.” 

The positives 

In a world where 75% of businesses face difficulty in recruiting — an all-time high – employers must ensure employee needs and wants are met. In fact, organisations are upping their mechanisms to listen, learn, and adapt as workers seek greater flexibility, better work-life balance, and a greater variety of options for when and where they want to do their work. By working flexibly, as opposed to working less, employees gain greater focus during work hours. In its four-day work week trial, Microsoft Japan, for example, achieved a 40% increase in productivity and an increase in employee satisfaction. 

Globally, workers are using their collective bargaining power to exert influence in a variety of industries, most of which are related to improving working conditions such as compensation, benefits, and workplace health and safety. Due to a high demand for labour and a limited supply, salaries are soaring. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the average hourly income of all private-sector employees increased by 5.6% from March 2021 to March 2022. 

Amazon has assured its 750,000 US employees that it will not interfere with their collective bargaining rights following a settlement with the American labour authorities. Uber became the first gig economy ride-hailing business to recognise the GMB trade union for its 70,000 private hire drivers in the UK last year. Recently, Microsoft announced that it would follow an “open and constructive approach” to union organisation from its employees, following public unionization movements at other tech companies. Thanks to the empowered employees who are accelerating longstanding changes in work and the workplace and making the future of work more promising.

A fleeting trend?

Workers' empowerment is resulting in short-term reforms, which may or may not last. Systemic changes are required for the transformations to yield long-term benefits. Workers' empowerment cannot be sustained unless entitlements like paid vacation are incorporated into policies. “It's difficult to say whether the trends we're witnessing will be permanent or fleeting as the ways we work and people's demands, expectations, and behaviours continue to change,” says Steve Bennetts, Head of Growth & Strategy – Qualtrics.

Whether this transformation is transient or permanent, the most crucial move any organisation can take right now, according to Steve, is "cultivating a culture of belonging." “By ensuring every person feels welcome, included, and enabled at the company, employers will be well placed to attract, retain, and develop talent in every kind of job market.”

HR futurist Kate Barker believes, that employers right now have the unique opportunity to elevate the nature of the relationship with their employees, from a transactional arrangement to a purpose-driven partnership. “This is the time to focus on building a strong company brand, commit to environmental, social, and governance goals, and build a compelling employee value proposition that is winning in the market.”

Read More

Did you find this article helpful?


You Might Also Like

Return to office: the legalities

STORY • 30th Apr 2025 • 3 Min Read

Return to office: the legalities

Employee Relations#EmploymentLaw
Employees tired of subpar workplace practices

STORY • 14th Apr 2025 • 4 Min Read

Employees tired of subpar workplace practices

Employee Relations
The "Great Resignation" 3 years down the road

STORY • 9th Apr 2025 • 3 Min Read

The "Great Resignation" 3 years down the road

Employee Relations
NEXT STORY: How to counter hate speech at work

Trending Stories

  • design-thinking-hr

    ChatGPT Walks It Back — AI Giants Race Ahead

  • design-thinking-hr

    Skype is dead: Did Microsoft's leadership let a billion-doll...

  • design-thinking-hr

    From copy-paste to creative spark: mastering generative AI i...

  • design-thinking-hr

    Keeping the C-suite in the C-suite - how do we reduce execut...

People Matters Logo

Follow us:

Join our mailing list:

By clicking “Subscribe” button above, you are accepting our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Company:

  • About Us
  • Advertise with us
  • Become a sponsor
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Contact:

  • Contact Us
  • Feedback
  • Write For Us

© Copyright People Matters Media Pte. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Get the latest Articles, Insight, News & Trends from the world of Talent & Work. Subscribe now!
People Matters Logo

Welcome Back!

or

Enter your registered email address to login

Not a user yet? Lets get you signed up!

A 5 digit OTP has been sent to your email address.

This is so we know it's you. Haven't received it yet? Resend the email or then change your email ID.

People Matters Logo

Welcome! Let's get you signed up...

Starting with the absolulte basics.

Already a user? Go ahead and login!

A 5 digit OTP has been sent to your email address.

This is so we know it's you. Haven't received it yet? Resend the email or then change your email ID.

Let's get to know you better

We'll never share your details with anyone, pinky swear.

And lastly...

Your official designation and company name.