The New Post-Pandemic Workplace
Returning to Work in a Post-Pandemic World.
Over the past two years, the effects of COVID-19 have dramatically changed how and where we work. Organizations are preparing for their employees to return to the office, and much of the American workforce should plan on a different kind of workplace.
The hybrid workplace, a mix of working from the office and working from home, is a leading model. From new guidelines and policies, to improved technology to keep teams connected, to amenities that better prioritize health — our time spent working from home has reshaped what employees want from the office in a post-pandemic “normal.”
Many companies have experienced a change in headcount over the past two years. Thus, the transition back to the office introduces the challenge of welcoming new team members and reorienting existing employees. This is surely a positive sign for businesses, although it’s a huge task to calculate space, work areas, and resources for new and returning workers.
Employment Status
The pandemic has changed employment status in multiple ways. Nearly two thirds of workers (63%) now define their workplace differently. Just under a third of workers split their time between home and their official workplace, and more than a third (34%) now work completely from home. Many have experienced job furloughs, layoffs or early retirement as a result of the pandemic.
For some, these changes in where and how they work have them seeking ways to continue working from home. Many have become comfortable and efficient with these ways of working.
For some, it is a safety concern. Being exposed at work and then bringing that exposure home can jeopardize not just one, but an entire family.
Company Practices
In their return-to-work approaches, organizations are implementing changes to help create a safe and healthy workplace. These include employee temperature screenings, the use of face masks and personal protective equipment, social distancing practices and stricter policies for high-traffic areas.
There’s also an uncertainty as to how organizations are preparing for the return to work: 44% of workers are unsure of what that preparation includes. Nearly a third of respondents (31%) say that their employer will provide face masks or other personal protective equipment. Other practices include staggering return dates, communicating policies for high-traffic areas, physical markers and signage, and temperature screenings.
Overall, there’s a shift in what the new normal will be, as organizations set up a safe and healthy workplace for their teams to come back to.
Worker Motivation
Both the productive and connective aspects of work are important. With stay-at-home restrictions easing, the top two reasons for workers eager to return to an official workplace are:
1.) a more structured work routine and 2.) the ability to socialize with their co-workers. The third most popular reason was having access to the tools to do their job.
In the pre-pandemic era, commuting time occupied an interesting gray area in the employee-employer dynamic. Was the 1.5 hours a worker spent in the car each day, 7.5 hours a week, company time, or was it personal time?
When Covid-19 hit, that quickly changed. Time employees previously spent commuting became their own time, and since then that time has been used for something else. That’s something employers need to keep in mind when they think about the return to the office. It’s not just eight hours in the office. They’re asking for that bonus time back, and it’s not an insignificant amount.
There’s another aspect to the commute situation employers should consider. Many employees are using the time saved from not commuting to actually perform more work. That may have been work they were previously doing after hours or on weekends.
As employers make return-to-work plans, many are citing productivity as a key reason. But how much productivity will be lost for employees who shift active work time to their commutes? Is having them back in the office worth the trade?
Conclusion
From how we buy our groceries to how and where we do our work, the Covid pandemic has changed life for everyone. Get used to it, because it’s highly unlikely that the world will ever be as it was in 2019. Be smart, be safe, do what you think is best for you and your family. And take pride in your work, no matter where you do it!