The EIU: What, in your view, is the biggest trend that will change the nature of work in future?

Sir Cary Cooper: The major change is in the role of the manager. Given both the advances of technology and economic problems, there will be fewer people in any workplace who will be expected to do more work. They will also be working in different patterns, such as part-time and short-term employment.

In order to cope with these demands—as well as the expectation for healthier and less stressful work environments, more flexibility and better management of an older workforce—managers will need much greater skills. It will no longer be just about delivering the technical skills or getting results on the bottom line, but having the social and interpersonal ability to retain and develop talent.

Are businesses ready for this change?

At the moment, no. If you look at the G8 group of industrialised nations, in the UK we have the lowest productivity per capita. Many of our managers are bright and have MBAs, but they are not necessarily good at managing. They have knowledge, but they don’t manage people. The problem is that there has been a strong focus on the bottom line and presenteeism, and this has been put well above employee health and development. Some managers are trainable, but others just don’t get it.

Within the next 10-20 years there must be a big change in how we select people with the primary focus on how they manage individuals’ growth, including through praise as well as through social engagement, flexibility, health and well-being.

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HEAlTHy mAnAgEmEnTSir Cary Cooper of lancaster University says managers need to pay greater attention to the health and well-being of their workersAs one generation takes the reins of power and another enters the workforce for the f irst time, attitudes towards work and its place in our lives are changing. Meanwhile, economic forces are changing the structure of businesses, and in some cases putting more pressure on a smaller number of staff.

In this interview with The Economist Intelligence Unit Sir Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology and health at Lancaster University in the UK, explains how these shif ts require companies to show more consideration for their employees’ health and well-being, and why that is fundamentally changing the role of managers.

This interview is part of an investigation into the future of work by The Economist intelligence Unit, sponsored by Ricoh Europe. For more, visit http://bit.ly/eiufuturework

Sir Cary Cooper lancaster University

Why is it important for companies to consider the health of their workers?

Health is vital in retaining and attracting talented people. Work environments that are co-operative and supportive, that do not have ridiculous working hours and do not interrupt people in their social time are much better at retaining people. An understanding of flexible working is vital, as is the creation of a good physical environment.

Younger managers tend to see the significance of this. When staff realise that they are just about the bottom line and are entirely replaceable, they tend to leave. Since the recession, there has been a bit of rethinking among many managers, and they are beginning to understand that health and stress are actually bottom-line issues.

you mentioned that the workforce is growing older. What is the impact?

People are living longer, and given the pension crisis they are working longer. Workforces are becoming older, and employers need to learn how to deal with this change.

The key question is how employers give older workers different jobs. They cannot keep people into their 70s and 80s doing the same jobs they would have done in their middle age. They need to think about how they give those employees activities that draw on their experience but do not put unreasonable demands on them that are excessively physical or emotional (the latter in a managerial sense). They also need to think about how they will get people of totally different ages to work together. Many managers are not good in this area.

Are other elements of the workforce affected by change?

Absolutely. In the UK, two out of three families are now working families, and people are coming in and out of the work environment. Men are increasingly involved in family life, with less of a desire to be workaholics on the periphery, and women are equally looking to develop their careers. The government has already set a target of a minimum of 25% female representation on company boards. This is aside from targets it has set for employing those who are disabled or from ethnic minorities.

Managers will need to learn how to work with the changing workforce as well as the different demands. They need to recognise that while employees may go and work flat out for several years, there will come a point when many will want a family and will no longer want to work in that manner. Companies need to support them by offering the flexibility of remote work, and by being accessible when there is a need for support.

How well do companies handle change?

They handle it badly, even though change is here to stay, as the saying goes. They need to learn how to get employees really engaged in the change process.

The issue is further complicated as businesses increasingly go through mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and partnerships. Often businesses simply think of the bottom line and totally ignore the personalities of their staff and the compatibility between the different organisations. This must be improved.

Two out of three mergers still fail because they only look at the economic indicators and not the people or culture. We are only just beginning to see some genuine improvement in these areas.

The future role of the manager will be to deal with all of these changes and make the organisation work. It will require great social and interpersonal skills. Businesses do increasingly recognise the need for improvement, but they must also act.

many managers are beginning to understand that health and stress are actually bottom-line issues

Sir Cary Cooper lancaster University

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