For many businesses, the pandemic has disrupted regular office practices. It has changed interpersonal as well as intrapersonal relationships at work. While many activities will be back to normal when the pandemic ends, there will be a new normal. In this article, we are going to explore the ways pandemic is changing work habits.
1. A Focus on Relationships
With social distancing in place in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19, companies are being forced to find innovative and empathetic ways for improved communication. Technology tools like video conferencing, instant messaging, and collaboration-enabled digital workplaces allow companies to have a centralized system for team collaboration and crisis communication. In addition, there may be an abandonment of role-based collaboration in favor of a skills-based approach. The skills-based approach allows employees to shift their contributions based on business needs rather than boxing themselves in their job titles. This will also change the HR recruitment process, as the right skills have to be emphasized in the recruitment process.
2. Flexible Work Patterns
With the wide acceptance of remote working, employees will be seeking a flexible work pattern, the typical 9 to 5 may no longer work, at least in the short-term post-pandemic. In addition, meetings may be replaced with video conferencing tools like Zoom and Skype, as well as instant messaging platforms like Microsoft Teams in order to save time, address urgent needs and improve efficiency.
3. The Hybrid Office
As each state enters a different reopening phase, there will be a need for a gradual transition. In the short term, employees will spend some time working from home as well as in the physical office. Hence, companies will focus on successfully integrating digital technologies in managing employees to maintain efficiency and effectiveness.
4. A Focus on Health and Safety
Until a vaccine is available, there will be an unlikely return to normal, especially for businesses that require domestic and international flights. This implies that as offices reopen across the country, health and safety will be the top priority. Proactive companies will have a task force in place to get and inform on updates as regards government policies and guidelines. This means that there will be a lot of communication taking place within the firm. Generally, it will put the workforce at ease, especially as companies recover from the economic toll of the pandemic as well as the need to reassure the employees of the health and safety protocols being put in place in the company.
5. A Change in Business Attire
While companies in the tech industry are not rigid about dress styles, financial firms want their employees to keep the button-down and tie or the blouse and pearls. However, the pandemic may bring about a shift in the dressing style. Employees may now push towards casual attire. Some consulting organizations already have days where employees are allowed to wear regular clothes, especially when they are not meeting my clients. The comfort that working from home has afforded many employees may also mean that companies are already preparing for the business fashion revolution if it means increased productivity.
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