Publication | Closed Access
The third wave of virtual work
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2013
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Over the past 30 years, three waves of change—home computing and email, mobile technology and global teamwork, and now community‑focused virtual work—have reshaped how knowledge work is done, highlighting the need to rethink relationships, settings, workflows, technology, and tailored employment arrangements. The authors contend that employers must rethink their contracts with workers to fully leverage the third wave of virtual work. Recognizing a firm’s role in each wave informs smarter choices about technology, work models, talent sourcing, and people practices.
In three major waves of change over the past 30 years, employers and workers have converged on new arrangements for getting knowledge work done. First, home computers and e-mail spawned an army of freelancers, offering both workers and employers new flexibility. Next, mobile technology and global teamwork gave the same kind of work-anywhere, work-anytime flexibility to full-time employees, without asking them to forsake career progress and development within their companies. Now, in a third wave, new ways of providing community and shared space are curing a side effect of virtualization- worker isolation-and driving increased collaboration. The authors write that to make the most of this third wave of change, employers should rethink the compact they forge with workers. Five fundamental aspects of knowledge work require fresh thinking: the value of the relationship with a larger enterprise; the settings in which work is done; the organization of workflows and how individual contributors add value; the technologies used to support higher achievement; and the degree to which employment arrangements are tailored to individuals. The three waves of transformation surge forward at differing velocities across sectors and geographies and mix together in societies. Understanding how your business participates in each wave will help you make wise decisions about technology, work models, talent sources, and people practices.