The Future Of The Workplace: 10 Ways COVID-19 Will Change How We Work

Majority Remote Work Week

Before the pandemic, our company workplace was following Pareto’s Principle: 80% in office and 20% remote. After the pandemic, we’re planning to flip that ratio to be 80% remote and 20% in office. That means our company will look to co-working spaces to help satisfy the 20% in office time we are looking to achieve. I’m not sure what the future of the workplace will look like, but for our company, we’ll be shifting to a majority remote work week without a permanent office lease. 

Working From Home Works

Some companies have come to the realization that working from home works! Working from home will no longer be taboo or something that only hip start-ups offer as a perk. Even after the effects of COVID-19 wear off as we get into 2021, I wouldn’t be surprised to get on calls with clients and see they are still working in their home office well into next year. COVID-19 has opened the door to more flexibility and ability to successfully do your job without the driving in rush hour and sitting in a cubicle all day. Remote work is here to stay! 

Diverse Models of Operation

I don’t think there is going to be one set model of operating. However, I do believe COVID-19 has forced many employers to face their fears and doubts about a distributed work model and experience many of the benefits (such as increased talent pool, happier employees due to better work-life balance, reduced overhead costs as office space is let go).

Honoring Work-Life Balance

First of all, COVID-19 has proven that anything is possible when we set our mind to it. We can reimagine the way that work is done. We can successfully adjust where and when we do our jobs. And, COVID-19 has reminded us all that we must honor the balance between “work” and “life.” Allowing employees the flexibility that they need to run their households, support their children, partners, and parents is no longer a “nice to have,” it is essential.

The Office is Wherever You Get Your Work Done

The future of work is a network of offices and teams. This has launched two trends: remote work and collaborating in distributed teams. The office is wherever you work. The globalization of our economy, our reliance on mobile devices, and technology innovation has changed employee perspectives on physical office space. The office is where you get your work done; in your corporate office, at a coffee shop, in your home, or in a coworking space. 60% of the workforce is working remotely, and some organizations are making this option permanent. 

Digital Collaboration As a Critical Competency

Major shifts in remote working is one of the biggest post COVID-19 implications for the future workplace. As organizations shift to more remote work, explore critical competencies employees will need to collaborate digitally, and prepare to adjust employee experience strategies. Consider innovations for new performance measurement strategies.

Increase in Collaboration and Trust

Since the emergence of COVID-19, I think we have all learned just how flexible and resilient our workforce can be. Regardless of whether it is working remotely, with reduced teams, or with a mask on, I think the future of work is a much more collaborative and trusting environment.

Accessible and Affordable Virtual Tools

I think businesses have now realized that there are accessible and affordable tools available for their employees to utilize. With this realization, they will be more flexible to their workforce in working remotely. While the beginning of the pandemic was very uncertain and housed a lot of trial and error, businesses have been able to adapt quickly to learn how to manage performance while working remotely. Now that companies have an idea/experienced this, there isn’t that fear of the unknown. When they look at their operating costs for 2020, I think they will see that providing virtual tools to their workforce is less of an expense than having an office and office perks (coffee, lunches, snacks, etc.).

The Need to Create Meaningful Connections in a Virtual Environment

The “new normal” for workplaces presents a ton of new opportunities and risks oftentimes by the same exact factors. People now have the opportunity to target organizations they could have never worked for prior to a remote working policy being put in place. At the same time, it increases the burden of accountability on the individual which could be problematic in light of all the cat videos on the internet. The biggest challenge is the need to create meaningful human connections in a virtual environment. The right companies realize that culture is a commitment and not a physical location.

Strengthened Internal Server Security

Flexibility is key. Traditional workplaces now have enough data from their employees proving that working from home is absolutely possible–and productive. Companies will now probably take extra steps toward beefing up their internal server security with outsourced cloud companies and digital security businesses, too.

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