The Future of Work is Changing, but Like Everything Else, Nigeria Will Play Catch Up
The year 2016 was an epic one for me. I had my first experience in corporate America as an intern at Apple Inc, CA. While my experience may be more tilted towards the culture of tech companies, it is general knowledge that the status quo is changing, and everyone is aware of it…except perhaps, “legacy” Nigerian companies.
While it is public knowledge that Apple does not sanction free food, its work culture is primarily focused on productivity and efficiency. With a diverse employee base, accommodating different cultures, personalities, and communication styles, they found a way to effortlessly integrate everyone! Each team working together as a startup under a bigger organization. Given its outspoken culture of secrecy, it comes with no surprise that Apple doesn’t practice open floor workspaces, however, it is an open door policy. Knocking on a door is a barrier to managers, but even more so to junior employees. Hence, your door is supposed to be open except you are in a meeting, or you are out of the office. This policy was perhaps the ONLY reason I had a relationship with my manager and teammates. We would have mini discussions when they walk past my office, or I theirs.
Apple’s culture also revolved around meeting KPIs, flexible work hours, and my favorite part, team events! Team building was an integral process at Apple, especially in Software Engineering. During my internship, we had a couple of team events that instilled teamwork, and friendship among members. I had NEVER seen some of the guys before that day, it was fun, and made me love my job even more.
My experience with the Cupertino Giant gave me the opportunity to go out into other Silicon Valley (SV) companies. Every employee I came across at Google, Facebook, Microsoft, SnapChat etc gave an almost robotic answer when I ask “Why do you work here?” or “What do you like about working here?” Their response: “I love the culture and the people here”. Exactly how I felt, and still feel about my time in Cupertino.
However, this isn’t the sentiment for employees in Nigeria…especially non-techies. They do give almost robotic answers too! Except it is quite different from that of employees in SV companies. “Why do you work here?”, “What do you like about working here?” Their response: “I don’t know, the salary I guess” or “Because it was the only opportunity available”. As I read before, we are taught to Manage It Like That (MILT) in every situation, thus we accept to work in places that do not challenge us, bring out the best in us, or make us productive. We go to work because we have to, not because we want to. We sit down through the day being unproductive because we are required to be in the office by 8am and leave by 5pm with or without official duties. This model has worked for so long, albeit we are becoming aware of the toxicity of working in such environments and either making it a requisition for a better environment or not accepting offers from those places.
As the internet continues to grow in Nigeria, qualified candidates are no longer limited to opportunities in Nigeria. The competition for competent candidates is now intercontinental, and Nigeria is losing. The biggest losers in this war for talent will be legacy companies who refuse to adapt to newer models of workspaces and cultures. Flexible work hours is a requisite for the best talents I know, yet these companies remain unmoved. A Key Performance Indicator (KPI) system for grading employees is almost non-existent in these institutions, how then do you accurately promote employees? Oh, I know! By their attendance records. Being at work all day every day is the KPI. Not anymore.
The uproar for flexible work hours and remote work has started, and is being addressed by those wary of competition, however, we are going to be playing catch up in Nigeria…classic! As creatives continue to look outwards for more suiting opportunities, corporate Nigeria either adapts or risks losing the best talent to the startup community or international organizations.
Culture plays a huge role in the decision making of talents when deciding their next employer. It has been this way for a while in SV, and corporate America. It is gradually making its way to Nigeria as creatives become more outspoken and demand what they want from their employers. There is a need for radical change in how our corporations treat employees, else we will continue to see a rise in freelancers and talents leave their employers in shorter intervals.
