The future of work has arrived quicker than anyone could have anticipated, and with it is a shift in how people work and the workplace itself. For the past few months, millions of workers have been working from the comfort of their homes, making the use of digital tools more popular than ever.
Now that economies all over the world have started slowly opening back up, can organizations truly go back to normal? The short answer is no. The long answer is that companies have already made the pledge to adopt remote and flexible work arrangements in the long-term.
Still, this does not indicate the end of the office. Instead, it creates an opportunity for businesses to reconfigure their workspaces to keep those who do wish to work in an office setting safe and healthy.
For companies that do choose to welcome workers back into the office, strict physical distancing and sanitation protocols, as well as offering PPE, will be essential.
Other organizations will undoubtedly embrace remote working policies, but there are a few downsides to this arrangement, including blurred lines between work and home life, as well as being stuck in a distracting environment.
Still, this shift also opens new work opportunities for older, experienced workers, as well as those in rural communities, which can help companies diversify their talent pool.
