OWP liVe REPORT

19

‘We are never going back to the way the world of work was’

L E A D E R S H I P

Professor of Organizational Behaviour Robert Hooijberg and Professor of Leadership and Organizational Change Michael Watkins explore the potential future balance between work in the physical and online domains. At the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak workplaces were forced into the virtual realm overnight. Executives have been pushed to adapt quickly to the virtual world of work, but as hopes for a coronavirus vaccine grow, attention is now turning to the future of work and leadership development in a post-COVID world. In their OWP liVe session, Hooijberg and Watkins explored what aspects of work are effective in the virtual environment, and what elements of work are less productive online. The findings of their research were confirmed by the results of a survey of participants’ experience. Unsurprisingly, the poll showed that more than three quarters of respondents are working more than 60% of the time virtually today.

going to look like. Hooijberg and Watkins explored what work can be done well virtually and what tasks do not work so well online. They hypothesized, and the survey results reinforced, that the more routine tasks – reporting, administration and making simple decisions — as well as one- on-one meetings, knowledge sharing, document drafting and financial analysis - were relatively well suited to the virtual modality. These likely will continue to be done virtually post-COVID. But participants also confirmed that important tasks cannot be done very productively while working virtually, especially complex tasks involving collaboration, innovation, dedication and acculturation. For example, efforts to achieve breakthrough innovation, solve complex problems, build cultures, foster deep connections and manage conflict still are much better done in- person, given the current state of virtual technologies.

Works virtually + 60%

ROBERT HOOIJBERG IMD Professor of Organizational Behaviour

However, looking ahead, participants expect to split their hours between being online and being in the office roughly evenly, 50/50. Watkins said: However, looking ahead, participants expect to split their hours between being online and being in the office roughly evenly, 50/50. Watkins said: “We are never going back to the way the world was. COVID has, like many things, drastically accelerated trends and transformations that were already under way.”

MICHAEL WATKINS IMD Professor of Leadership and Organizational Change

But there is still a great deal of uncertainty over what the post-COVID world of work is