Are Rigidly-Structured Departments a Thing of the Past?

The many different types of departments within business, including sales, human resources, customer service, IT, accounting, and management, all have remained relatively compartmentalized throughout the years. While they might work together to fulfill various tasks, they operate (for the most part) independent of one another. How long will this remain the case, though? Let’s go about a thought experiment and look toward a future where departments are a thing of the past.

With Remote Work, Departments Have Become Somewhat Moot

The concept of a department is something that is not necessary for people who are not working side-by-side in a shared environment. When remote work enters the fold, this unified workforce eventually dissolves into individuals who are completing specific tasks and communicating only when needed.

That said, these tasks and responsibilities assigned to departments have not necessarily gone away. For example, sales and customer service still need to interact with prospects and clients, and HR still needs to be the mediary between management and the rest of the workforce. Remote work has removed some of the barriers and red tape associated with departments within an organization. Studies have shown that businesses that have performed the best throughout their remote response to the pandemic were the ones that relied on cross-silo teams (groups of employees from different departments) and shifted their focus from how busy each employee was to how successful these employees were at achieving their desired outcomes.

Some companies have reported furloughs that forced them to adapt to the circumstances, and many employees have taken on additional or new responsibilities they would not have had to otherwise. Thanks to automated solutions, there is even less reason to rehire existing positions if possible, and this has created conditions that encourage employees to learn as much as they can and cultivate a diverse skill set.

Of Course, Technology is Needed to Make Remote Work a Feasible Option

Without technology, the dream of breaking down barriers between departments and the remote workplace is simply not feasible. If you want to give your employees the ability to work remotely and empower them to develop their own skill sets, reach out to BNMC at (978) 482-2020.