NAME: ALEGIEUNO JEMIMA

ANOSI
PROGRAM: INDUSTRIAL
RELATIONS AND HRM
DEPARTMENT: BUSINESS
MANAGEMENT
COURSE CODE: IRH 329

WORKPLACE FLUIDITY.
TABLE OF CONTENT
 Introduction.
 Concept of workplace fluidity.
 Forms of workplace fluidity.
 Technologies of importance.
 A pictorial illustration of technologies.
 Benefits of workplace fluidity.
 Challenges in workplace/workforce fluidity.
 Quotes.
 Conclusion.
INTRODUCTION
The topic of workplace fluidity talks about the seamless flow of work among team members. A
fluid workplace is devoid of obstructions in the process of getting work done like poor internet
connectivity or unavailability of a team member, slow response, misunderstanding of the
message, etc.
Definition of the concept (workplace fluidity)
Let’s break it down,
What is a workplace?
A workplace is an environment in which work takes place, the work is performed by the
employee in which the employer compensates the employee for their work done.
What does it mean to be fluid?
This is simply the capability of flowing freely, like water. This can also be used to describe
something that can change easily or change often. Also having or showing a smooth or easy
style.
What then is workplace fluidity?
Workplace fluidity means taking a responsive, flexible approach toward workforce strategy.
CONCEPT OF WORKPLACE FLUIDITY.
Much as water sustains life, so too does the HR function play a role in helping to sustain the
health of an organization. Workplace fluidity means taking a flexible, responsive, and dynamic
approach to workforce strategy, which allows businesses to pivot quickly to overcome new
obstacles, embrace the opportunity, or manage uncertainty.
The world of work is shifting. But, this is nothing new. Work has undergone constant change
over the last 200 years. All too often we fixate on the next big technological development at the
expense of considering the human element to change.
After all, it is the people within a business that make change happen. As a result, we need to
ensure that employees are well-supported development so that they can perform and feel
confident in our rapidly changing workplaces.
Information Age states that “In the 20th century, the workplace was a static, physical place”
and that technology has changed everything. It has enabled workspaces to become more fluid,
giving employees more freedom with not just their job, but their life.
At the same time, attitudes about work are evolving as well. Today's employees don't view their
work and professional lives as separate from one another – technology has effectively blurred
the lines. Work needs to be balanced (not exactly balanced, but there should be harmony) and
more purposeful.
Fluidity in the workplace takes three forms:
Job Fluidity: People don't want to be tied by a specific job description. They want to choose
what they work on and desire the ability to flow between projects and departments. The
modern employee demands more flexibility and autonomy in their roles.
Organizational Fluidity: The traditional ideas of how work gets done no longer apply. People
value collaborative teamwork over tasks and confined roles.
Identity Fluidity: Employees not only expect a seat at the table, but they want the "ability to be
themselves" at work.
Various technologies have made the workplace fluid
Such as:

 HRIS (human resource information system)

 ATS (applicant tracking system)
 ERM (enterprise risk management)
PICTORIAL ILLUSTRATION OF THE TECHNOLOGIES.
Benefits of a Fluid Workforce
A fluid work environment has varied benefits for organizations. The resource planners and
executives can identify the future needs and implement solutions for the company to reach its
strategic goals. Predicting labor movement and bringing in better on-boarding of talent remains
another positive aspect. Employee retention techniques also allow managers to harness and
hone talents and optimize expenses, mitigating possible risks to business continuity in the end.
Fluid work environments enable the top management and the HR managers to establish a
shared vision that helps align business policies with employee well-being. Technology solutions
and automation address these shared needs to help organizations strengthen their culture and
get valuable insights for further growth. Workforce planning also enables companies to
understand their labor costs and wisely allocate their investments based on insights of best-
performing employees that deliver the highest ROI. Organizations can also make decisions
about where the greatest investments in employee training and development by identifying
areas the workforce needs the most help with.
Challenges in Workforce Fluidity
With the pandemic necessitating the need to hire contract Flexi employees, more and more
organizations are driving a resource strategy that saves costs and ensures higher productivity
and output. Some organizations that are hiring permanent employees continue to re-onboard
and re-skill with the evolving needs of the market. A fluid workforce involves combining both
these strategies that have far-reaching consequences for the human resource teams that have
to change the HR policies, programs, and workforce automation solutions for the entire
organization. Human resource teams also have to consider ways of attracting talent in gig roles
and also manage permanent staff. There are challenges of performance metrics and benefits
for employees who aren’t full-time worked many other issues arise when organizations try to
retain a flexible workforce.
One of these is the continuous onboarding of professionals to keep up with the demand
because of a turnover. This has a knock-on effect on employee experience that varies
significantly along with engagement and performance. Learning and development are critical
parts of attracting and retaining employees. It helps in fostering better performance among the
workforce. One of the most difficult aspects that organizations face in the post-pandemic
hybrid work environment is the way they measure performance and communicate goals to
Flexi-workers as opposed to permanent workers. A lot of organizations do not have clear
transparent processes that drive employee performance. As organizations transform their
workflows, many face the serious concern of how their top brass change their mindset.
Most companies are used to specialized job responsibilities and the culture is more attuned to
the permanent workforce without any fluidity of job roles. Breaking this mold is a long-drawn
process that needs a tricky balancing act from top-level executives to junior-level employees.
QUOTE
“By taking a shape, by having a visible plan, you open yourself to attack. Instead of taking a
form for your enemy to grasp, keep yourself adaptable and on the move. Accept the fact that
nothing is certain and no law is fixed. The best way to protect yourself is to be as fluid and
formless as water; never bet on stability or lasting order. Everything changes.”
― Robert Greene.
“Fixation is the way to death; fluidity is the way to life”
― Myrando Manahi.
“The rigidity of a bottle’s form does not affect the fluidity of the liquid it contains.”
― Leon Krier.
SUMMARY
Workplace fluidity is basically talking about an organizations ability to adapt to changes, the
world is not static it is ever changing. This changes has then given organizations the ability and
opportunity to nurture the various changes which word result to them having a seamless flow
of work and operations. Advanced technology has made the work place more fluid than ever,
even the help of flexible work arrangements which most companies adapted to the use of
telecommuting.
To be fluid in the work place have a knowledge of the world around and take flexible
approaches.