1、People first:The future of cities post-COVIDReimagining work can enable citizens of cities to flourishPeople first:The future of cities post-COVID2What we think:The emerging post-COVID social order requires cities to reorient themselves to move toward“people first.”We need to transform how we(re)con

2、struct and share work.And why.People across the planet are living with and processing the effects of multiple overlapping challenges.These include COVID-19,climate change,social inequality,supply chain disruptions,persistent high inflation and the probability of local or global recessions.As a resul

3、t,businesses are under increasing pressure to“do the right thing”and respect human rights,operate sustainably and have a more positive social impact.Many organizations are therefore looking to balance their traditional ownership-driven or shareholder-focused models with new approaches that are more

4、participative or stakeholder-based.Employees(and workers in general)are a critical component of this change it is they who are innovating new approaches to work,striving to sustain the environment and contributing in a wide variety of positive ways to society.People first:The future of cities post-C

5、OVID3Changing priorities and places Because of the challenges they face,employees of all ages have begun to shift their priorities.They are reassessing where they want to live and work,and are rethinking their relationship with their employers and with work itself.An increasing proportion are forgoi

6、ng full-time employment and opting to become independent contractors,gig workers or small-business owners.From a geographical point of view,it is clear that the pandemic has accelerated a decade-long trend of individuals and families relocating to smaller and less commercially established cities.Peo

7、ple are making this move to seek more affordable housing and greater access to childcare services and schools.Many find that that their new city homes offer a higher quality of life,often coupled with lower taxes and a lower cost of living.There is no doubt that this trend will continue,fueled by th

8、e“work from anywhere”movement,by the increase in hybrid work arrangements,and by the growing number of independent contractors and gig workers active in the economy.A fundamental shift in the relationship between employees and employers This process of change is fundamentally transforming the relati

9、onship between employees and employers.It is also shifting where and how employers source talent and how they connect that talent to work.Most importantly,it is requiring organizations to both change their work operating systems and to consider the holistic well-being of people as part of their stra

10、tegic decision-making.Businesses are redesigning their people processes and work practices to support all workers:employees,contingent workers and those in their supply chain.Ravin Jesuthasan Global Transformation Leader,Mercer,and co-author of Work Without JobsPeople first:The future of cities post

11、-COVID4Our recently released 2022 Mercer Global Talent Trends report highlights this profound shift in the social contract between employers and employees our findings confirm that the future of work will depend on a flatter,more flexible and more fungible workforce.34%of the employees we surveyed s

12、ay they would forgo a pay raise for more control over their work schedule.62%of employees say they would join a company only if they can work remotely or in a hybrid arrangement.Almost six in 10 employees globally would consider freelancing.In response to this ongoing and accelerating shift,many bus

13、inesses are redesigning their people processes and work practices to support all types of workers,including employees,contingent workers and those in the supply chain.Overall,the“S”in the ESG(environmental,social and governance)agenda is becoming ever more important.A transformation in how we view a

14、nd design work This emerging new order calls for a transformation in how we view and design work,and in how we build new skills.By necessity,it calls for greater inclusion and equity.We must cultivate healthy,thriving companies to have flourishing and prosperous cities,societies and workforces.If de

15、signed well,such a change can enable agility and resilience across businesses and institutions through times of volatility and increasing uncertainty.At Mercer,we call the new paradigm or platform we need to aim for the People-First City.David Anderson Chief Commercial Officer,MercerPeople first:The

16、 future of cities post-COVID5A healthy,equitable,resilient and human-centric future of work,respecting fundamental rights,across in-person,hybrid and virtual work,for all workers(employees,contingent workers and supply chains).ESGGood WorkPromote fair pay and social justiceProvide flexibility and pr

17、otectionDeliver on health and well-beingDrive diversity,equity and inclusionFoster employabilityand a learning cultureIn recognition of this major new trend,Mercer has collaborated with the World Economic Forum to create the Good Work Framework.This features five principles designed to advance more

18、healthy,equitable,resilient and human-centric ways of working.Flexibility is integral to the Good Work Framework.This is key,as younger workers are more likely to consider gig work than their older counterparts.Indeed,based on Mercers 2022 Global Talent Trends report,62%of Gen Zers,61%of Millennials

19、,53%of Gen Xers and only 39%of Baby Boomers are likely to consider this type of flexible employment.People first:The future of cities post-COVID6As Gen Z joins the workforce,they are seeking innovative leaders and employers who are transformative in the way in which they approach work compared to pa

20、st generations.They are focused on diversity,flexibility and a workplace that is healthy,both mentally and physically.They are also reassessing work-life balance and are emphasizing life-work balance.Mark Beal Leading Gen Z expert and author of Gen Z Graduates to AdulthoodPeople first:The future of

21、cities post-COVID7A core New Work Operating SystemForward-thinking,people-first businesses will play a central role in reshaping the world of work and in developing the People-First Cities platform.Informed and empowered by the need for positive change,such businesses will work to deconstruct jobs,r

22、edeploy tasks and reconstruct work.We are already seeing that these innovative businesses employ agile,flexible,inclusive and resilient operating system,which we term New Work Operating Systems.1 Such systems are underpinned by four universal principles,which are adaptable across cultures.These four

23、 principles are:Start with the work to be done(current and future tasks)and not the existing jobs Combine humans and automation Consider the full array of human engagements Allow talent to flow to work Although they may be tailored to different cultures and customs,the four principles set a clear pa

24、thway that can be followed to ensure the holistic well-being of employees in both growth and developed economies.Bending the demand side The New Work Operating System starts with these questions:1.What are the current and future work tasks(regardless of current jobs)?2.What are the capabilities need

25、ed to perform these tasks?3.Which current and potential workers have,or might develop,these capabilities(regardless of their current jobs)?4.What are the best work arrangements to engage those capabilities(including options beyond regular full-time employment)?Importantly,in a new work operating sys

26、tem that reinvents work at both the task and capability levels,transformation is led by the work,not technology.Automation is reconceived to optimize the combination of humans and machines,simultaneously substituting,augmenting and creating human work.Ravin Jesuthasan Global Transformation Leader,Me

27、rcer,and co-author of Work Without JobsPeople first:The future of cities post-COVID8Using a New Work Operating System,people-first businesses,and thereby people-first cities,can move beyond a limiting supply-side view of labor.They can reassess work to help bend the demand side of the employment equ

28、ation and,thereby,reshape work to be more flexible,diversified,equitable and inclusive.This new demand-side orientation enables talent management teams to move beyond jobs and jobholders,beyond matching the“right”candidate to a job,and beyond the thinking that sees a college degree as the primary me

29、ans by which someone can gain access to the labor market and to meaningful work.In their bestselling book,Work Without Jobs(MIT Press,2022),Ravin Jesuthasan and John Boudreau lay out the case for the New Work Operating System,and why it must be underpinned by tasks and skills,instead of jobs.They de

30、tail the economic and societal gains that such an approach will bring agility,resilience and productivity,and inclusivity,equity and human-centricity,respectively.As illustrated in Work Without Jobs,deconstructing work uncovers new options for sourcing,rewarding and engaging workers.This process inv

31、olves determining which tasks should be bundled together into a job,which workers are qualified to perform which tasks,and which tasks can be unbundled and reconstructed.Deconstructing and remaking work in this way helps identify which responsibilities are best suited for regular full-time employees

32、 and which are more appropriate for freelancers,contractors and volunteers(and which can be managed through other partnerships).It also allows businesses to better see each employee as an array of capabilities and skills,rather than simply as the holder of a job.Ultimately,it ensures that people are

33、 optimally connected to the work they do.The idea is already being put into play:One in four executives participating in our 2022 Global Talent Trends study report that they are embracing more“networked organizational designs that enable fluid working between partners inside and outside the company.

34、”They also say they view strategic partnerships as key to building future resilience.The New Work Operating System approach reinvents work at both the task and capability levels.It is important that this transformation should be led by the work itself,and not by technology.As a result,automation sho

35、uld be reconceived as a way to optimize the combination of humans and machines something that simultaneously substitutes,augments and creates human work.This approach uses automation to deliver highly repetitive,rules-based work while augmenting human creativity,empathy and critical thinking,and als

36、o creating both demand for new human work and the space in which it can be done.By rethinking and reorganizing work in the above ways,businesses will attract,retain and develop talent.They will build a more flexible,diversified,inclusive,equitable and resilient workforce the foundation for People-Fi

37、rst Cities and balanced societies.People first:The future of cities post-COVID9Five C-suite imperatives to meaningfully engage Gen Z*1.Promote passion projects:Gen Zers have multiple facets to their lives many are artists,content creators and entrepreneurs.They also like to contribute charitably to

38、communities.They have often been schooled in educational systems that promote independent thought and problem-solving.Employers should therefore consider developing and promoting agile workplaces that encourage the pursuit of passion projects and side hustles.2.Create communities of shared interests

39、:Online or in-person,Gen Zers participate in communities of shared interests,focused on issues such as music,sports,film or books.They will be more engaged if they discover these sort of communities at work.3.Market mental health:In a recent survey of Gen Zers,nearly 40%said mental health is the mos

40、t important goal-setting area in their lives.To respect this priority,create a healthy work environment by welcoming conversations about mental health and by providing mental-health support and benefits.4.Move from managing to mentoring:While Gen Zers understand they will have to report to managers,

41、they want mentors who will actively support the evolution of their careers and their acquisition of new skills.5.Encourage entrepreneurship:In ongoing surveys,Gen Zers see themselves as entrepreneurs(more than any other type of persona).Empower them as“ZEOs”and offer them the opportunity to develop

42、new products,services or company initiatives.*from Mark Beal,a leading Gen Z expert and author of Decoding Gen Z,Engaging Gen Z and Gen Z Graduates to Adulthood.Mark collaborates with Gen Z individuals on daily basis as an assistant professor at the Rutgers University School of Communication and Inf

43、ormation.Suggestions for how to segment employees*1.Employees in fixed roles:These employees hold regular full-time roles.This might be because their jobs deliver a convenient volume of work that fits a regular work pattern.It might be also due to compliance or control reasons,or because the individ

44、ual involved has unique or difficult-to-acquire skills that justify offering a fixed,full-time assignment.2.Employees in flexible roles:These employees roles are partially fixed(because of work volumes or the need for job-specific skills)but the individuals can flow to specific challenges as needed.

45、Such roles often emerge from internal marketplaces where regular jobholders take on additional project work or short-term assignments.3.Employees fully flow to tasks,assignments and projects:The capabilities of these employees are required in short-term bursts across several different work processes

46、.An example of this type of employee would be a freelance or project-based data scientist who moves among projects in marketing,HR and operations as needed.*Source:Ravin Jesuthasan and John W.Boudreau,Work Without Jobs,MIT Press,2022.People first:The future of cities post-COVID10Work and People-Firs

47、t Cities We live in an increasingly urban and connected world.Today,more than half of the worlds population lives in cities,up from 30%in 1950.As of January 2022,32 cities across the globe could be classified as megacities(metropolises with 10 million or more residents).The majority of these are in

48、China and India,the two most populous countries in the world.2 Megacities are dynamic engines of growth.In general,the per capita GDP of a countrys megacities is 80%higher than the GDP of the balance of its national economy.More than 1.5 million people are being added to the global urban population

49、every week.By 2030,the United Nations estimates 750 million people will call megacities home.This is a 35%increase from 2020.By 2030,cities with more than 1 million inhabitants are projected to have an aggregate population of 2.3 billion people,with much of that population concentrated in emerging m

50、arkets.3 Overall,it is clear that despite the cultural shifts that have altered the way we live and work over the past two years,cities will be the place where much of our future story will be played out.There is little doubt that urban areas will continue to be magnets for talent,wealth and creativ

51、ity,and that they will continue to generate wealth,human connections and innovation.This means that most of the challenges and opportunities of our times will be urban.People-first businesses will be central to the development of People-First Cities globally.This is a potential win-win situation,as

52、people-first businesses will,themselves,benefit from fostering environments that balance physical,financial and spiritual well-being.Employers are trusted by people and are increasingly expected to play a key role in supporting their holistic well-being.There is an opportunity for businesses,particu

53、larly within growth market cities,to use this moment to intentionally re-evaluate their approach to ensure they are operating in a way that aligns employee well-being with their core business strategy.In doing so,businesses can enable cities of all sizes to become people-first.David Anderson Chief C

54、ommercial Officer,MercerPhysicalMentalFinancialPeople first:The future of cities post-COVID11In addition,in line with the shift to remote,flexible and gig working,progressive organizations are increasingly acknowledging the importance of well-being for those not in their traditional full-time staff.

55、They are therefore applying this thinking to the broad universe of talent they tap into and collaborate with.Overall,people-first businesses are the organizations that will deliver the new social contract that is reshaping the world of work.They will do this by bending the demand curve of work and b

56、y ensuring they invest sufficiently in their workers total well-being and health.Ultimately,this will enhance the physical resilience,well-being,financial health and prosperity of the worlds urban societies and support the development of greater diversity,equity and inclusion that will be necessary

57、for People-First Cities(and so the majority of humanity)to flourish and thrive.Importantly,Mercers 2022 Global Talent Trends report reveals that executives recognize the importance of the people-first revolution.C-suite executives rank the mental,physical,social and financial well-being of workers a

58、s their second most important priority,just behind reskilling.People first:The future of cities post-COVID12Key takeaways:Shaping a people-first city builds success for businesses and communities For more information on how Mercer can help you reshape jobs,work and benefits to make them people-first

59、,access our insights and solutions for enhancing flexible working and developing skills-based talent practices.Our social order and peoples preferences are in flux from the impacts of the pandemic,underlying demographic changes and increasing economic volatility.As a result,the traditionally availab

60、le workforce is declining,making it more critical than ever to successfully hire(and retain)new and non-traditional workers.People today have different expectations and needs,especially for flexibility over 60%of employees will only join a company if they can work remotely or in a hybrid arrangement

61、.Yet we face a paradox:people still flock to cities on a massive scale especially in emerging markets and more than 1.5 million people are added to the global urban population every week.Remote and flexible working havent changed the human need for and benefits of coming together in cities,but the s

62、hape of how we come together is transforming.Employers must,therefore,fundamentally rethink work,overturning how they attract and engage workers and meet their needs.Businesses play a critical part in shaping the people-first cities of the future.Cities and companies although no longer always tradit

63、ional big cities,and no longer always large companies with a significant physical presence will remain talent,engagement and innovation hubs.Businesses must determine their role in shaping people-first cities of all sizes to benefit from the win-win of access to the best talent and new ideas,made su

64、ccessful by a new work operating system and an environment of mental,physical and financial well-being.People first:The future of cities post-COVID13About the contributorsDavid Anderson is Mercers Chief Commercial Officer.Ravin Jesuthasan is the Global Leader for Transformation Services at Mercer,as

65、 well as an author of best-selling books on the future of work.Samira El Asmar is Mercers Growth and Market Expansion Lead.Mark Beal is a marketer,professor,author,keynote speaker and Gen Z Expert.People first:The future of cities post-COVID14Endnotes1 Ravin Jesuthasan and John W.Boudreau.Work Witho

66、ut Jobs:How to Reboot Your Organizations Work Operating System,MIT Press,2022.2World Population Review,available at https:/ BCG.“Solving the Mobility Challenge in Megacities,”Oct.26,2020,available at Mercer At Mercer,we believe in building brighter futures.Together,were redefining the world of work,

67、reshaping retirement and investment outcomes,and unlocking real health and well-being.We do this by meeting the needs of today and tomorrow.By understanding the data and applying it with a human touch.And by turning ideas into action to spark positive change.For more than 70 years,weve been providing trusted advice and solutions to build healthier and more sustainable futures for our clients,colleagues and communities.Welcome to a world where economics and empathy make a difference in peoples lives.Welcome to brighter.2022 Mercer LLC.All rights reserved.6012854d-CR