Everything VUCA or what? The working world of the 21st century offers opportunities and risks
VUCA is on everyone's lips right now. Reason enough to take a closer look at what the abbreviations actually stand for - Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity. The acronym VUCA summarizes what makes our working world a challenge for us: Unlike in the past, our working world is changing at a rapid pace today - so fast that it can make some people dizzy. Abrupt changes and technological innovations can overturn certainties at any time, and employees must do much more to keep up. In Silicon Valley, California, the opportunities and risks of VUCA have already been recognized, and a conscious effort is made to create a positive work environment: retreats, parks, sports facilities, good and healthy food, family activities are intended to ensure that employees enjoy coming to work and think positively. This is good for motivation and helps to keep VUCA stress under control.What can you as an employer do?
Certainly, you may not have the resources of the tech giants from Silicon Valley at your disposal. However, every entrepreneur can do something to prevent their employees from feeling overwhelmed or even fearful.- Change is positive: Talk to your employees about the possibility of disruptive changes, brainstorm solutions and responses together, and promote agile thinking. Drive progress forward instead of being driven by it.
- Invest in know-how: Digitalization and globalization can be unsettling. Therefore, book experts and speakers who address the fears of your employees and bring plenty of tools to help overcome the challenges.
- Lead by example: The working world is changing, so why not also embrace new ideas? Consider different working time models, home office, and additional offerings such as healthy snacks or drinks. The fact is: The competition for well-educated employees will intensify in Germany in the coming years. To score there, employers must offer more. VUCA is the opportunity to present yourself as a modern employer.
