Insights

During lockdown many of us have learned new ways to adapt to working from home as we social distance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As restrictions are continually easing and we return to offices, we will be facing new ways of working, including many changes in the workplace – some for the better. Social distancing measures, staggered start/finish times and alternative ways of commuting are all things we expect to see when we go back to the office. However, we will also see a shift in the way companies operate, with traditional ways of working such as 9-5 days, becoming a thing of the past. Here are three other things that may change in the workplace – for the better! Flexible working The pandemic has shown that employees can easily work from home and still effectively communicate with colleagues via email, video conferencing and phone calls. With more flexibility than ever before, companies may find that many will not want to return to the physical office even after the pandemic is under control. Findings from our Employee Benefits Survey show that before the pandemic, flexible working options were the most popular benefits with 62.2% of participants saying they wanted ‘flexible hours’. With workers experiencing this over the past few months, it will be something many will want to hold onto. Although it may still be important for employees to return to the office for reasons such as corporate culture, companies should consider allowing staff to split their time working between home and the office or introduce more flexible working hours, in order to retain the all-important work/life balance. Accelerated digital transformation Some businesses have suddenly realised how digitally unprepared they were after having been forced to accelerate their digital transformation strategies to allow them to continue to operate smoothly during the pandemic. Many are now speeding up their digital plans and adopting new ways of working in order to be more efficient and user-friendly. This digital shift is one of the more positive outcomes of the pandemic as it is driving employees to learn new skills, expand their capability and increase confidence with technology, allowing productivity to improve whilst working remotely. Digital skills have become a necessity for employees working remotely and will likely continue to be a vital skill as we move towards securing stability post COVID-19. Reduced travel time for meetings With less people travelling to work and meetings during lockdown, there has been positive effects to the environment across the world. The pandemic has shown that meetings can be conducted via telephone or video conferencing and so we may see less of a need for all meetings to be face-to-face post COVID-19. Although some meetings will still need to happen in a boardroom, it is likely many will opt for less important meetings to be done virtually. This means that there is less of a need to travel for meetings, which is a real positive for the environment. Another benefit of reducing travel time for meetings includes the cost implications on businesses. With more employees opting to conduct meetings virtually, the need for travel will reduce therefore expenses reducing too. What do you think will change the workplace for the better after the pandemic? If you would like some career advice get in touch with our team today, we would be more than happy to offer some tailored advice. You can also search our latest jobs here.

The coronavirus pandemic is set to change the workplace forever. Since March, most of the population, with vastly different responsibilities and skills, have had to be creative and flexible carrying out their jobs remotely, as best as possible. Many of these people would have previously said that it is impossible to work effectively from home, and while that will have remained the case for some, a lot of employees will have been surprised at how they have been able to adapt and add value to their business. It is fair to say we have collectively made such a huge leap that, even after we return to physical offices, it will be difficult to forget the legacy that lockdown has left on our work. So, which elements of remote working are here for good, even if we are not remote working? As we move back towards traditional office working what aspects of remote working will you be taking with you? Efficient communication Despite the concerns of many employers and employees alike, who expected communication with colleagues to become more difficult during lockdown, a large proportion of homeworkers have reported communication actually improving in the pandemic. In a study by productivity software company Time is Ltd., it was revealed that the average length of meetings for remote workers decreased by 10 minutes. It certainly appears that the use of video meeting software has made it both easier and more acceptable to leave meetings at the appropriate time, without them running over unnecessarily. Not only that, but once we return to the office there should be no reason to turn our backs on the convenience afforded to us by video meetings. While it is difficult to substitute the level of interpersonal connection that can be built by conducting meetings in person, there will still be a place for video meetings in the office. Maintaining this will eliminate travel time but still produce effective results, all the while allowing us to focus on other important tasks that would previously have been left unfinished. Creativity and innovation The coronavirus pandemic has led to previously tech-shy companies and employees having to adopt new technology and processes quickly. This will not have been easy for many companies, but having been put in such an uncertain scenario with no option but to change the way they do business, they will now know they are capable of taking risks and trying new things when the situation demands it. Once we return to the office, many of us will do so knowing that creating and implementing new ways of working that can drive our business forward is a realistic possibility, and a risk worth taking. Trust Working from home has resulted in a requirement for many employees to take on more self-directed work and responsibility, without being able to rely on constant contact with managers. In addition, by nature, remote working has meant that managers and leaders have less visibility of what employees are doing throughout the day, with the knowledge that there may be more distractions — such as childcare and family members — at home. This has meant managers have had to trust that their employees are being productive and getting the work done. An increase in trust and reduction in unnecessary micro-management once we return to the office can be a good thing, and can actually help to speed up the development of employees. Empathy Everybody appreciates that their colleagues and business contacts are going through a difficult period and, as a result, their mental health could be affected. With us not being able to physically see people and check in on them, we have needed to treat them with care and empathy perhaps more than ever before. It is very likely that, once lockdown is over, colleagues will continue to deal with struggles and issues in their lives — whether coronavirus related or not — and we should conduct business with this expectation. Just because people are no longer isolated and threatened by serious illness, it does not mean we should treat them with anything other than the utmost care, empathy, understanding and patience. Flexibility Arguably the best thing about remote working is the flexibility it gives to employees. Removing the daily commute frees up significantly more time in the day for errands, exercise, hobbies, family time or simply more time to relax away from work. In turn, this has meant that staff feel less stressed and more in control of their lives. This will undoubtedly be the biggest thing that workers will miss about being back in the office, but there is no reason why companies should not consider retaining or introducing more flexible working policies for their staff. Many business leaders will now be under pressure to introduce more policies that allow for a healthier work/life balance, including: Long-term remote working policies Flexi-time — flexible start/finish times Compressed hours — working full-time hours but over fewer days Staggered shifts Job sharing Relaxed dress codes These are just some of the positive elements that remote working in lockdown has brought to businesses which could (and should) be protected once we start to return to the office. What do you think the best thing is about remote working that should be kept? If you would like some advice about returning to the office get in touch with our team today, we would be more than happy to offer some tailored advice.