The last several months have undoubtedly altered the way we work now and in the future. While some of the trends that have emerged are expected to stick in the long-term, not every new change has worked for companies.
For starters, working from home has been a necessity this year to keep workers safe from the spread of COVID-19. There are plenty of perks to this arrangement, such as a lack of commute, a better work-life balance, lower real estate costs and more.
Additionally, the competition for talent is growing steadily as younger professionals have come to expect remote working policies when looking for new opportunities.
Even more, research has indicated that workers prefer the flexibility of this arrangement.
However, remote working does not solely mean working from home. Instead, it can mean working from anywhere, including a coffee shop or in an office closer to a workers’ home.
Another anticipated change is the adoption of even more virtual tools to support a distributed workforce, but this does not mean the end of the office.
Instead, companies will look towards a more hybrid work arrangement that combines both the office and working from anywhere.
Simply put, when navigating which strategies to take with them in the new year, companies must identify whether these policies made people’s lives better, saved the organization money and improved overall workplace culture.