Results-as-a-Service: The next evolution in business

We are entering an era where instant results are no longer a luxury but a necessity. Businesses and consumers alike demand speed, efficiency, and guaranteed outcomes, leading to a fundamental shift in how services are delivered. Where Software-as-a-service (SaaS) revolutionized software access and Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-service (PaaS) streamlined IT operations, the next evolution is here: Results-as-a-service (RaaS).

Unlike traditional service models that provide tools and infrastructure, RaaS is built entirely around delivering measurable and guaranteed outcomes. Instead of paying for subscriptions, software, or support with no guaranteed success, companies now pay only for results — whether that's qualified leads, cybersecurity protection, AI-driven insights or business growth. This shift is redefining industries, ensuring that businesses invest in performance-driven solutions rather than uncertain processes.

At its core, RaaS is outcome-based. Businesses no longer need to invest in tools, technology or expertise; instead, they partner with providers who guarantee specific results. This model creates an alignment of incentives, where service providers are as committed to success as their clients — an answer to one's skin in the game.

Imagine RaaS happening in key business areas, such as sales and marketing, cybersecurity, and AI-powered decision-making. For the first one, traditional agencies charge for campaigns regardless of performance. In contrast, RaaS marketing models focus on delivering actual sales or leads, ensuring companies only pay for tangible revenue growth.

For cybersecurity, instead of purchasing software and hiring IT teams, businesses can opt for RaaS-based cybersecurity, where they only pay if threats are prevented or resolved. Finally, companies can leverage AI-driven insights without buying expensive software. They simply pay for actionable recommendations and successful implementations. Companies are increasingly getting into this model.

Scorpion, a marketing and lead generation RaaS provider, offers digital marketing for businesses in law, health care and home services. Instead of paying for ad placements or marketing tools, businesses pay based on the actual leads and revenue generated.

DoNotPay offers AI-powered legal services that help users dispute parking tickets, cancel subscriptions and resolve small claims cases. Instead of charging for software access, users pay only when they successfully resolve a case, making it a prime example of legal RaaS. Mobavenue, an AdTech company focusing on acquiring relevant users through acquisition or retargeting, only charges per successful app download, for example.

The adoption of RaaS brings several significant benefits for businesses. One of the primary advantages is cost efficiency; by paying only for results rather than investing in tools or services upfront, organizations can allocate their resources more effectively.

This model allows companies to concentrate on their core competencies while outsourcing non-core functions to specialized providers, enhancing their overall focus. Additionally, RaaS facilitates scalability, enabling businesses to expand their operations without the burden of substantial upfront investments in technology or personnel.

Furthermore, RaaS improves decision-making by providing access to real-time data and analytics from partners, allowing organizations to make informed decisions quickly. This model also offers flexibility, as businesses can adapt their strategies based on performance metrics supplied by RaaS solutions.

However, while the benefits of RaaS are compelling, organizations must also navigate potential challenges. One concern is the dependency on external providers for critical functions, which can create vulnerabilities if those partnerships falter. Quality control is another important consideration; ensuring that service providers consistently meet agreed-upon outcomes necessitates robust oversight mechanisms. Additionally, sharing sensitive data with external partners raises significant concerns regarding privacy and security.

As industries continue to evolve toward RaaS models, both businesses and employees must embrace this transformation. The emphasis on measurable outcomes over traditional service models represents a substantial shift in how success is defined in the marketplace.

The rise of RaaS signifies a fundamental change in business operations — one that prioritizes results over processes. As organizations navigate this new landscape, they must remain agile and innovative while aligning their strategies with the principles of performance-driven success. Ultimately, the future belongs to those who can adapt to this new paradigm and leverage it for sustainable growth and competitive advantage.

As RaaS gains momentum, employees must adapt or risk obsolescence. This model shifts job roles from task execution to strategic thinking and results-driven contributions. Those who thrive in a RaaS-driven economy will adopt a performance mindset, develop versatile skill sets, and commit to lifelong learning, given the need to stay ahead of industry trends and emerging technologies.

The transition to RaaS marks a new era in business — one where success is measured not by tools or processes but by tangible, real-world impact. As industries shift toward this model, both businesses and employees must embrace the change, innovate and align themselves with the future of results-based success.

Source: Manila Times

Gen Z employees in the modern workplace

The emergence of Gen Z in the workforce is shaping the modern workplace in many ways, and it presents a unique challenge for managers who want to effectively lead and motivate this new generation of workers. Understanding the leadership and motivational preferences of Gen Z employees is crucial for improving job satisfaction, productivity and retention. In a recent study by the Ateneo Center for Organization Research & Development, researchers Arnold Policarpio and Mikee Talamayan shed light on the key leadership themes and motivational factors that are important to Gen Z employees in the Philippines. In this article, we will share the seven leadership themes that are most valued by Gen Z employees, explore their motivational factors, and provide practical strategies for attracting and retaining this cohort in your organization.

A new generation with unique values and preferences

Gen Z is the newest generation to enter the workforce, and they have a significant impact on the modern workplace. Unlike previous generations, Gen Z grew up with technology and is highly adaptable to its constant evolution. They are also more diverse, socially and politically engaged, and value-driven, with a desire for social justice and environmental sustainability. In the workplace, Gen Z employees prioritize purposeful work, work-life balance, and personal growth opportunities, and they place a high value on flexible work arrangements, such as remote work. Gen Z is also driving a shift toward a more inclusive and collaborative workplace culture, with a focus on transparency, open communication, and a sense of community. As more Gen Z employees join the workforce, companies will need to adapt their strategies to attract, retain and engage this new generation of workers.

The seven leadership themes valued by Gen Z employees

According to a study by Policarpio, Gen Z employees in the Philippines value approachability, respect, mentorship, competence, fair decision-making, autonomy and support for career and personal growth in their leaders. This perception of ideal leadership may have been influenced by the Filipino relational nature that values relationships over tasks. Leaders who embody these qualities can improve the job satisfaction, productivity and retention of Gen Z employees. Policarpio's study highlights the importance of cultivating positive relationships and offering mentorship to match Gen Z's desired leadership styles. Older generations have an opportunity to guide and share institutional knowledge to help shape Gen Z's chosen career paths.

Motivational factors driving Gen Z employees

According to Talamayan's study, personal achievement, passion, learning, growth and career development are essential factors that motivate Gen Z employees. However, what sets them apart from other generations is their emphasis on family, considering it a significant responsibility to support their loved ones. Unlike their millennial counterparts, Gen Z prioritizes financial security over an interesting work environment and sees their job as a means to save for the future. They also prioritize work-life balance and seek organizations that support this, with a desire for purposeful work and community involvement.

Practical strategies for attracting and retaining Gen Z employees

To attract and retain Gen Z employees, companies need to adapt their strategies to align with their unique values and preferences. For example, offering opportunities for learning and career development is essential to keep Gen Z employees engaged and motivated. Some firms have even implemented programs that allow their workers to learn new skills and attend conferences related to their interests. Additionally, companies need to be flexible and offer work arrangements that support work-life balance, such as remote work options and flexible hours. They can also implement wellness programs, offering gym memberships and mental health support to help employees maintain a healthy work-life balance. Gen Z's value for making a difference in the world is reflected in the rise of social enterprises and purpose-driven companies, where employees can contribute to causes that align with their values.

Source: Manila Times

Less productive, more depressed: the problem with WFH

Working from home last year made the average worker less productive and more anxious, depressed and lonely, according to academic research that also found these impacts were lessened by good managers.

The study, by researchers from the Australian National University, University of Newcastle and Macquarie University, broadly found that people were less productive the more they worked from home.

Studies suggest remote working increases the productivity of software engineers and other similar occupations. GettyBut amid significant debate over the effects of remote working on workplace culture and productivity, researchers also found that many outcomes improved the longer the study went on, and a large proportion of the negative effects observed could be attributed to poor management.

This suggests firms with more skilled managers will have better results and that the outcomes of remote and hybrid working will improve as companies get more used to it. The non-peer-reviewed research was based on roughly 2400 employee responses across five quarterly surveys conducted between the end of 2021 and the end of 2022, and included two surveys that took place when some respondents would have been forced to work from home by lockdowns or stay-at-home directions.

It found that each additional day an employee worked from home – up until the fifth day – led to a corresponding deterioration in productivity, efficacy, turnover intentions, depression, anxiety and loneliness.

Employees who worked from home five or six days a week, however, scored better than those who worked from home four days a week – the frequency associated with the worst performance scores – on all metrics other than loneliness.

WFH made us less productive on average

The slight improvement on day five meant that people who worked remotely full-time were about as productive as those who worked in the office two days a week, but not as productive as those working in the office three or more days each week.

Report co-author Kieron Meagher, an economics professor at ANU, said that while some studies found working from home had increased the productivity of software engineers and other occupations that required a high degree of focused or independent work, his research found “the outcomes were much more negative” when a wider variety of white-collar occupations were studied. “We found that productivity and professional efficacy both dropped when people were working from home more,” Professor Meagher said.

But he said that good job design and better managers helped soften these effects.

Better managers could fix it

“If your manager makes your job suitable for working from home – provides you with support, makes sure there isn’t conflict and there’s lots of co-ordination with coworkers – then those negative effects start to go away,” Professor Meagher said.

“And presumably, they could go away entirely if an organization handled it well enough.” The study, which did not investigate other potential benefits such as fewer sick days, more time spent with families and less time commuting, found that improving working conditions by giving workers more manageable workloads, greater autonomy and more support from supervisors significantly improved performance and wellbeing outcomes. It was based on online surveys that asked random samples of Australian employees how many days a week they worked from home or a location other than their main workplace. These employees were then required to say how much they agreed with a series of statements and to answer questions such as, “How much did you accomplish today based on what you planned to accomplish?”

Women and educated workers were overrepresented in the sample. And respondents were mostly required to give answers on so-called Likert Scales, where 0 could mean “strongly disagree” or “none of the things I had planned”, and 10 could mean “strongly agree” or “all the things I had planned”.

The researchers, who also included Christina Boedker from the University of Newcastle and Aeson Luiz Dela Cruz from Macquarie University, used these responses to determine how the number of days each week an employee worked from home affected everything from average levels of anxiety and depression to average turnover intentions and average self-assessed productivity.

Remote work can ‘enhance productivity’

It comes after a study from Swinburne University last year found that hybrid working had clear benefits for employee wellbeing, but employers had to tailor their approach to the needs of individuals and provide ongoing support to get the most out of it. Sean Gallagher, who co-authored that report and is the director of Swinburne University’s Centre for the New Workforce, told the Financial Review that companies must introduce more structure to their hybrid working models. “[Our] own research finds that designating certain days for remote work can enhance individual productivity, particularly when it involves routine business-as-usual, task-based work,” Dr Gallagher said.

“Deep, focused work also thrives in these conditions. Yet, for more interactive, collaborative endeavors focused on complex work, the office environment is irreplaceable.”

Source: Financial Review