Dear Senior Leader Sarah,

No one can deny that life was flipped upside down during the pandemic. Business had to adapt, and so did employees. But the big question remains, will the shift in pandemic have an impact on the workplace in the long run? Will it go back to business as usual?

Most experts agree, and I’m with them, that the effects on the workplaces caused by COVID will stay with us even after the pandemic ends. Now, before you groan, understand that most of these changes are for the better. 

Technology in Use

During the pandemic, most workplaces quickly adapted to extensive internet use like audio and video conferencing to replace face-to-face meetings. I know you’re probably so tired of Zoom meetings, but it is an equalizer for many people. Think about working parents, who are able to be at home with their kids and still work. There are many people who get to skip their long commute because they can just hop on the meeting remotely. 

In addition, the cost of flying employees around the world for meetings can be mitigated since video meetings are now a normal way to conduct business. Most companies have seen the positive impact of tech and will opt to normalize video meetings over in-person ones even after the pandemic ends.

Remote Work for Businesses

With the pandemic, the effectiveness of employees working remotely has been demonstrated and proven. Many companies are now realizing that an office isn’t really necessary to run a successful company. Concepts like all employees working from a HQ will be seen as out-dated.

Hey, it’s kind of cool to realize how many business functions can be effectively done remotely. 

Big perks for companies, too. You save money on building space, you get to build a more diverse culture, and you get to hire the best talent from around the world. 

Adapt to Survive

For employees, many have realized that remote work is the way of the future, and they won’t consider job opportunities that are in-office. Here’s why:

• They can move to cheaper cities and still work.
• They can avoid a long commute.
• They feel like they have a better work-life balance. (The irony is that most employees actually clock more hours when they work from home vs an office, but that’s another topic).

The pandemic required many businesses to have increased flexibility in working hours. Employees got used to having more flexibility and as the pandemic ends, employers will still need to maintain their flexibility of work to retain their employees.

In a nutshell, the pandemic really forced businesses to become more flexible and creative regarding its employees. Going forward, we will probably see a lot of those trends stick around. Many businesses will still rely very heavily on technology to improve communication. Many will switch to a hybrid remote work model. 

We’re all ready to go back to “normal,” but this new normal in business can be a big win for everyone.

Sincerely,
Jenny