Humanizing the future of work: the importance of agency and autonomy
This is the third installment in a series of four write-ups that takes a closer look at what it means to humanize the future of work. It is co-written by Natalija de Jesus, a strategic designer based in Toronto and Hala Beisha, a transformation strategist with a focus on the human factor, who is also based in Toronto.
This write up looks at the importance of agency and autonomy in the workplace and builds on the findings that focus on the importance of trust in the workplace. These two concepts are intertwined, as each of us needs to feel a sense of agency as it relates to career direction and life in general. Agency to act is enabled by conditions for autonomy. One cannot exist without the other. That means extending the trust to team members, fighting the urge to micromanage and prescribe a course of action.
In the face of changing work trends, increasing complexity in the workplace and the certainty of uncertainty, the idea of having agency and owning one’s career narrative has become increasingly important. Alvin Toffler’s famous quote: “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write but those who cannot learn and unlearn”, highlights one of the key elements for successful career iteration and the need to direct one’s career progression and learning opportunities.
A Sensed Loss of Agency
Our research revealed a sensed loss of agency, namely to influence the world. Author Inayatullah suggests that systemic conditions, such as barriers within organizations, affect the scope for individual choices. According to Inayatullah, workplaces are not only places where people earn money and make friends; workplaces also create personal meaning and a sense of community. Organizations that seek to develop high-performance, problem-solving individuals and teams may need to foster a culture that supports their workers’ drive for agency within their work.
High Performance, Multidisciplinary and Intergenerational Teams on the Rise
Skills are the new global currency in the creative economy. In the article ”The Next Revolution in Interactions” from McKinsey Quarterly, the authors emphasize that in today’s fast-paced and competitive workplaces, employers not only look for job-specific technical skills but also for other requirements: that employees be creative, think critically, make decisions and work in high performance, multidisciplinary and intergenerational teams. Being able to deliver on these skills empowers professionals to direct their own career narrative and decide where they would like to work and for how long.
Tacit vs Transactional Knowledge
Research points to the importance of new skills to make sure that highly skilled professionals can keep up with continuous change in the workplace. In the book, Rise of the Creative Class, author Richard Florida points to the value of creativity as an essential element in driving competitive advantage in the marketplace. Professionals must draw on deep experience, called “tacit” knowledge for problem-solving compared to “transactional” for jobs that are more routine in nature.
Autonomy
Another important element at play in a successful workplace is autonomy. In a nutshell, it is the ability to decide how one gets to do their work, the ability to choose from a number of tools and the power to influence the bigger picture. From a social psychology perspective it has been examined in the context of the Self-Determination theory. From an implementation standpoint autonomy has been at the center of a work organization approach called ROWE (Results Only Work Environment) and the self-management concept.
Self-Determination theory by E. Deci and R. Ryan states that we all share three universal psychological needs: autonomy, competence and relatedness. Fulfill those, and you lead an active satisfying life. Fail to meet these needs, and you will find yourself trying to numb yourself. In the context of work, Deci and Ryan found that people perform the best they are intrinsically motivated, which is enhanced by the presence of positive elements such as rewards and feedback. However, autonomy is an important prerequisite. Without it, the drive to action decreases and performance suffers. Therefore, we need to think beyond extrinsic rewards such as salary raises and bonuses. These types of motivators will make sure people do only what is required and not an ounce more. Understanding what really drives people and creating conditions for autonomy is key to a flourishing work environment.
ROWE is a management approach where employees are paid for results rather than the number of hours worked. Essentially, this whole approach is based on the concept of autonomy and self-management. Has it worked in practice? Luckily, there is evidence from the Gap Outlet which has piloted ROWE for their production and technical service teams in 2008. Post pilot assessment revealed that productivity increased 21% and quality 15%; at the same time turnover went down 18% and work-life balance scores went up 10 points to 82%. Quite a significant jump in performance. A clear testament that when you trust people to do their jobs, they rise to the occasion.
This is why workplace autonomy is a must have and not a nice to have. So how do you strike that balance between providing frameworks and guidance at work and autonomy?
