Mapping the future of work

ServiceNow’s CIO and chief talent officer on what to expect in the months ahead

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world of work upside down. As organizations and their employees navigate an uncertain future, one thing is clear – the traditional workplace will never be the same.

In a recent CBS News poll, fewer than half the respondents (44%) said they would be comfortable going to a workplace outside the home. While remote work was trending up before COVID-19, the pandemic has accelerated this trend, challenging employers to create an agile, distributed, “anywhere, anytime” workplace.

ServiceNow CIO Chris Bedi and Chief Talent Officer Pat Wadors previewed this “next normal” workplace in a joint session at our Knowledge 2020 digital event. They shared hopes and predictions for the future of work.

The two executives stressed that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing this shift. Instead, the roadmap will look different for every employee and every organization.

Chapter one is nearly complete

Earlier this year, as COVID intensified, leaders worldwide quickly made the decision to shift to remote work where possible, with the safety and health of employees and families at the center of this decision. Bedi refers to this as “chapter one” of the “next normal” workplace journey,

“During this first chapter,” he said, “the immediate focus was: ‘how do we make sure the company can still run and that employees remain productive with the ability to connect and collaborate?”

Wadors stressed the importance of supporting employees’ diverse needs following the abrupt shift to remote work.

“For us, it’s about caring for the employees,” she said. “It’s ensuring that they are productive, that they have the tools and space necessary to do their jobs and navigate in an effective way. Life and work are crashing together, and we’ve got to adapt how, where and when we work, and leverage technology to smooth that out.”

“We don’t expect crisis management to end, but we’re seeing the conversation evolve as companies accelerate a return to the workplace."

Bedi added, “Conversations with ServiceNow customers are pivoting from emergency management to how to manage the new ways of working. Customers tell us their top three concerns are employee safety, workplace services and business continuity.”

As this first chapter comes to a close, we are beginning the transition into the ‘next normal.’” In our 3-part blog series, hear next what Wadors and Bedi think the “next normal” workplace will look like.

Series: Mapping the future of work

Part 1 - Mapping the future of work

Part 2 - What the “next normal” workplace will look like

Part 3 - Long-term changes in the workplace