What's All This Talk About the Modern Workplace?

Hi 😊! My name is Kiana and I’m the new summer Marketing Intern at Votacall. I am a college student trying to figure out what I want to do when my dreaded graduation day comes and I have to join the workforce. The modern workplace is a hot topic here at Votacall, so I was nervous to even ask what that was given how often it's mentioned.

But after doing some research, I realize the modern workplace sounds like an ideal work environment, and I truly can’t see myself working for a company that doesn’t embrace it.

So, what’s this "modern workplace" they speak of? Basically, it's where work-life balance is a priority, and your office location doesn’t tie you down. It’s when a company takes advantage of technology to make it’s employees' lives easier, while also allowing them to be more efficient. Workers have more control of their schedules, and can work when they are feeling the most productive. And no, this is not a joke! It really is the future, and the sooner companies start to embrace it, the happier and more productive their employees will be. Sounds like a win-win situation to me.

So, let me tell you about some of the benefits to the modern workplace.

Flexible work hours

Who said that work can only get done between 9 and 5? You can’t force yourself to be productive at the same time every single day. Everybody is different, so why would we all be working the exact same hours?

The answer is, we shouldn’t be. Setting your own work schedule sounds ideal to me. Not only is it ideal, but it is proven to be more productive.

Work from the comfort of your own home

Imagine, waking up and putting on some comfy clothes, walking over to your desk and starting your work day. I would love nothing more than to be able to just pet my cat when work starts to get stressful.

Being in an office can be so unproductive because there are so many distractions and side conversations. When you’re at home you get all the personal space you want, which can help you get work done much faster.

Not to mention, working from home can save you so much money! You have your kitchen during your lunch break, instead of having to buy lunch every day or spend time in the morning making it. I realized that between saving time and removing distractions, working from home can be convenient and beneficial.

No commuting!?

Something I think we all struggle with in our jobs is actually getting ourselves to the office. Sitting in traffic and spending so much of your day on the road can feel like a waste of your time, because it is.

Imagine having those couple of hours per day to yourself instead of dedicating them to a commute. No being squished on a train, or being bored out of your mind listening to the car radio station. You don’t have to wake up nearly as early, and more rest will help you be much more productive throughout the day.

And to top it off, less commuting is so much better for the environment! Commutes cause a lot of air pollution, and working from home can reduce your carbon footprint immensely. ❤️🌎

Live and travel where you want

As I transition from college to the real world, deciding where I want to live is on my mind constantly. Right now, I feel like wherever I work will determine where I have to live. But, the modern workplace would allow me to live where I actually want, without having to make my office the main priority.

Having a meeting nowadays does not mean that everyone needs to be physically present. Everyone in the meeting could be in different locations, but still get their messages across to each other instantly.

On top of this, you could travel and still be working. Instead of limiting your travel to weekends and vacations, you could work from a hotel room in Cancun, or an Airbnb in London. I talk to so many people who say “I wish I had traveled the world before settling down and getting a job, and now I can’t because of work.” But if you're able to work remotely, you really can have your cake and eat it too! Having a job shouldn’t limit you from doing the things you want to do with your life. We should be working to live, not living to work.

Now, don't go thinking that being flexible causes you to get less work done. Having work-life balance makes people happier, and happier employees are way more likely to work harder every single day. Companies that embrace flexibility not only retain more workers, but allow them to be as productive as possible. Now that I've been exposed to this, I can't imagine working any other way.