After the Pandemic: Can We Redesign a Hybrid Office for Everyone?
June 27, 2022
Hosted by Ron Roel
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Guest Information
Episode Description
For many decades, the words “work” and “office” were virtually synonymous. But after two years of COVID-induced remote and hybrid work, one thing seems abundantly clear: The future of work is likely to be very different from the past. Many organizations are struggling to get employees back to the office, after millions of workers left their jobs—some laid off, but many others looking for higher paying, more fulfilling jobs, as well a more flexible, balanced lifestyle. In today’s episode, Professor Lynda Gratton, a renowned thought-leader and consultant on the future of work, talks about “what is undoubtedly the greatest global shift in work for a century.” Even as many of us enter the second half of our working lives, is there a chance to radically redesign the way we work? In her recently published book, “Redesigning Work,” Lynda Gratton uses her 30 years of research into the technological, demographic, cultural and social trends shaping work to present an innovative framework to help make hybrid work policies work for everyone. In today’s conversation Lynda will examine several key questions facing hybrid work redesign. How do organizations design ways to boost both creativity and productivity, while also providing the flexibility people crave? How do we determine when it’s better for employees to work face-to-face, and when is productivity actually enhanced through virtual design? And how do we create hybrid environments that work well for a range of employees—and that people feel is fair and equitable over the longer term? Lynda, who founded London-based HSM Advisory over a decade ago, will also offer several prominent examples of forward-looking organizations that are successfully navigating the journey to redesign work that is more engaging, flexible and ultimately more productive.
45 Forward
Monday at 12 Noon Pacific Time on VoiceAmerica Variety Channel
Thanks to advances in medicine and health, most of us are just at half-life when we reach our mid-40s, with many potentially productive years ahead. But there’s no road map to prepare us for this period. That’s where 45 Forward comes in.
My show provides you with strategies to shift the traditional waiting-for-retirement model to a journey of compelling life chapters. Each show tackles an aspect of health, finance, family and friends, housing, work and personal pursuits as part of an integrated plan. Experts discuss topics like revitalizing relationships, creating mini-retirements, managing the maze of technology, finding your next homestead and caring for aging parents.
The show instills confidence, and hopefully some comfort, amid the stresses permeating today’s society. Fear of the future is not knowing how to prepare for it. 45 Forward does not proffer prefabricated answers, but helps you shape your life amid the daily anxieties of our time.
Ron Roel
I’m a veteran journalist who spent a wide-ranging career covering business, politics and social issues, the last two decades focusing on the blend of diverse life skills I call successful aging.
I have written extensively on aging topics, spoken at conferences, radio and TV shows, and launched several entrepreneurial ventures, discovering along the way that the path to aging well also requires an unexpected entrepreneurial vision. I spent 20 years as a writer and editor at Long Island’s daily newspaper, Newsday, helping to found Act 2, a weekly section for 50-plus readers. I created Roelresources.com, a website offering practical advice and inspirational essays for people ages 40 and above. I have been a volunteer and consultant to AARP Long Island, writing articles, advocating for seniors, and developing action plans for the AARP Age-Friendly Communities initiative.
I am active in programs and organizations that support seniors, such as the National Aging In Place Council and the Senior Umbrella Network. I have developed a special expertise in family caregiving, as one of four brothers who took care of their mother for almost 25 years. I regularly collaborate with many professionals who provide services and support for older Americans, and I am completing a book for caregivers on Long Island, “The Caregiving Navigator/How to Plan, What to do, and Where to Turn When Caring for you Aging Loved Ones. And Yourself,” scheduled for publication in early 2021.