The changing work environment

Companies are introducing a new generation of workers into their offices. This new generation of young workers is different from the previous one. New workers have been brought up in a changing world, driven by new technologies. To make the new generation a real force for companies, managers must adopt an organisational efficiency shaped for it. We will therefore try to analyse why and how companies take advantage of this new generation to respond to the new forces changing the environment.

To discuss the forces in the environment, companies often use the PESTEL model. This model allows companies to best understand the environment by grouping macro-environment trends into six categories: political, economic, sociological, technological, ecological, and legal. Over the past decade, globalisation has gained momentum, turning the world into a "global village" (Marshall McLuhan 1967). This globalisation has had a significant impact on the 6 macro-environmental trends illustrated in the PESTEL model and companies must take this into account. In addition, other tools such as the 5 forces model, defined by Michael Porter, have highlighted the different ways in which companies will feel this changing environment. The 5(+1) forces model, defined by Michael Porter, includes the threat of potential entrants, the threat of substitutes, the bargaining power of buyers, the bargaining power of suppliers, and the intensity of competition between existing players. A sixth force was later added to this scheme: the role of government. Hence the rating of “5(+1)” forces. These tools are almost mandatory for companies as they have no choice but to evolve at the same pace as globalisation.

The changing environment has given rise to many opportunities and therefore change for companies. One of the most obvious is international expansion, which has been a proven recipe for growth; according to Wells Fargo’s survey, 87 per cent of American businesses believe that foreign development is vital for long-term growth. Indeed, market saturation has led to a search for a new international market. The reduction of costs, whether of labour, materials, or simply taxes, inevitably leads companies to look abroad.

Thus, in the face of globalisation, which requires companies to be ever faster and more efficient, and the international expansion of many companies, managers must apply organisational changes to their teams.

The new generation of employees is full of opportunities for employers. Younger employees are open-minded, much more group-oriented, have a high level of education, are intuitive users of new technologies, and are more likely to come from different nationalities as more and more young people move to work in countries that are not their country of origin. In terms of their expectations, a study asked over 5,000 knowledge workers around the world what they wanted from the future of their work arrangement. 59% of respondents reported that "flexibility" is more important to them than salary or other benefits. Thus, the younger generation expects work and life to mix.

To combine employee happiness and company efficiency, a new organisation offering more freedom must emerge. Many studies agree that the future of work is hybrid, but we will explore this point carefully. Indeed, hybrid work offers employees greater freedom and fits in

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