Companies have been forced to reevaluate their traditional working structure as workers all over the world are being required to work remotely.
The short-term impact this will have on the workplace include the adoption of virtual tools, coordinating work, maintaining team dynamics and more. But long-term changes are a bit harder to pinpoint.
“For some employers, we believe there will be a new level of tolerance for working at home and a much better understanding of what is needed to effectively enable a workforce,” said Meredith Thatcher, co-founder of AgileWork Evolutions. “We may see these same organizations shed real estate in future, while looking to offer a balance between work-from-home and an office environment.”
Although some companies will likely become more open to adopting flexibility in the workplace, other employers will return to normalcy. Still, employees will have the chance to explore what they like and don’t like about remote working and whether it is the preferred structure for their needs.
The Colliers Canada Workplace Advisory Team believes that workplace structure will change regardless if companies decide to adopt flexible work options or not. Companies are expected to have a heightened sense of community, focus on employee health and wellness and implement digital tools to increase efficiency.