The Evolving Future of Work
As we enter month 8 of this global pandemic, we continue to face a series of new economic, health, and social obstacles that define our very way of life. Despite these obstacles that push against our efficiency and well being, we have also been granted tremendous opportunity in certain domains; one of the most intriguing opportunities being within the work environment.
As a society, we haven’t been forced to rethink our understanding of the workplace in such a dramatic and fundamental way, most likely since the Industrial Revolution. Part of this evolution was forced upon us by Covid-19, but many of these trends were already underway due to the availability of new remote collaboration tools, the rising prices in commercial real estate and co-working spaces, and a shifting ethos around the convenience and benefits of mobility.
How big do physical offices really need to be? What tools and tech can companies invest in, to create the most productive remote work experiences? What new expectations will employees have with regards to their physical location and interaction with other colleagues? These are just a few of the questions that employers of all sizes need to mull over, as they plan how their companies will operate in 2021 and beyond. It’s certainly one of the biggest areas of focus we’ve been working on with your clients, here at Torchlight.
A recent study by BCG, which included a survey of 12,000 employees, indicated that a shocking 75% of employees actually reported being able to either maintain or improve on their current level of productivity for their individual tasks, once they transitioned to remote work because of Covid-19. One of the biggest drivers in efficiency, particularly amongst collaborative tasks, has been employee satisfaction with tools like video conferencing and project management software.
When we come out of the other side of the pandemic, it is foolish to think that “everything will return to normal”, bur rather that we will be exploring a plethora of new ways to create a “new normal”. Whether that means a significantly increased reliance on an emerging suite of remote collaboration tools, more comfort with WFH schedules and the HR policies to match, or an introduction to entirely new kinds of workplaces altogether, we are positioned for an explosion in creative and opportunity, even amidst an array of these new logistical challenges we face.