How COVID Has Reshaped the Modern Workplace

Change often takes place gradually, but the COVID pandemic plunged traditional workplace culture into panic mode. Companies had to adjust their internal and external policies to accommodate the seismic cultural and economic shift. Remote work became the status quo, and everyone finally agreed on one thing — working from home makes sense.

However, industries, like healthcare, are struggling to cope with the demands of virtual work since their duties demand an individual’s physical presence. Moreover, companies are concerned about a decline in productivity from their employees.

Although these fears are justified, the changing landscape of workplace culture is undeniable. Employees now focus on ways to improve their productivity while keeping in touch with their colleagues. Similarly, members of upper management are devising new ways to get the best of remote-working employees.

So, this article will share some of the most significant changes to the modern workplace. We will also figure out what these changes signify moving forward.

1 – Teleworking

Teleworking is closely related to the term Work From Home (WFH). But the critical difference is that employees who telework can choose their preferred workspace: a library, coffee shop, or beach in Ibiza.

In the not-so-distant past, people looked down on remote work because it was never considered ‘real’ work. 

And why is that?

Well, the social construct of ‘going to work’ encapsulates waking up, putting on your work attire, commuting to the office, and returning later in the day. However, remote work cuts out most of these activities while offering you the chance to work from your preferred location.

But today, teleworking sounds familiar to everyone. Rather than being a fringe option, it is now mainstream. And not even the multi-national corporations are exempt.

Recently, Fujitsu announced a complete shift to remote work. The company promised to provide new strategies to empower and motivate employees. Other companies like Twitter have also allowed their staff to choose their preferred work format — remote or hybrid. 

Currently, around 70% of financial companies’ employees have accepted the idea of constant remote work. This figure increased from below 30% before the pandemic. Even tech startups are struggling to cope with the challenges of remote work.

But despite this remarkable shift in sentiment, one cannot say with certainty that this WFH trend will continue post-COVID. Companies and financial institutions paying long-term rents for office space and inventory will take massive losses. 

On the one hand, these losses will motivate them to invest less in physical offices and more in teleworking in the future. Alternatively, virtual workspaces are not perfect for every industry. As a result, the most lucrative option would be to adopt the hybrid model — office and remote work.

2 – Productivity and efficiency

Remote work can only function in a trust-based system. As an employer, you can only hope that your employees are doing work instead of watching Youtube videos. 

Consequently, managers are using different tracking methods to monitor productivity. They also determine KPIs for every department, team, and individual. And through thorough analysis, the management can evaluate those pulling their weight and those underperforming.

Currently, the presenteeism concept is slowly fading into obscurity. Employers focus on the amount of work completed rather than the number of hours. This performance evaluation model is reflective of the current working climate.

But here is the catch: most companies forced their staff into remote work without considering their domestic situation. Moreover, the suddenness of the global lockdown didn’t provide ample time for training on teleworking practices. As a result, these crucial factors affecting employee performance are no longer consequential when determining  KPIs.

However, not all is lost.

Team leaders can organize training exercises on remote workspace organizations for teamsters. A quick orientation course on handling stress and distractions can improve the team’s overall performance indicators.

Furthermore, management should exercise patience and leniency in criticism. Let’s face it; most of us are struggling to cope with the psychological impacts of the lockdown — the apparent loneliness. 

Therefore, these issues should be taken into consideration when monitoring employee performance during the lockdown and beyond. 

3 – Adaptable communication

Communication is essential in remote work because it keeps teams and divisions in sync. Here are the COVID-affected channels of communication:

Although virtual communication channels, like Skype and Zoom, are available, the absence of physical interactions is a massive issue. And consequently, the number of employees complaining about job-related loneliness is at an all-time high. Besides, technology is not always reliable. A power outage somewhere can disrupt a meeting and set back the company’s timeframe. 

Moreover, companies with employees from across the globe are still grappling with the difference in time zones. This communication barrier might force struggling companies to adopt a unified time zone. But while this model favors the company, employees will suffer due to the added stress of disrupted sleep cycles.

Nevertheless, companies now focus more on virtual communication and collaboration tools. Slack, Dropbox, and other open-source collaboration tools are fitting, albeit inadequate, replacements for physical contact.

4 – Workplace Management

Remote work has flattened the hierarchy in various companies. For effective information transfer, managers communicate with other members of staff directly. This method of management involves deploying anonymous teams.

Besides, executives can delegate more independence and power to teams that can function alone. This increased level of autonomy expedite decision making and improves productivity. 

However, managing the performance of autonomous teams is a challenge for executives. On the one hand, you want to maintain an agile, independent environment. On the other hand, you relinquish control over the monitoring of productivity.

But on the bright side, independent team leaders relish the opportunity to showcase their accountability. This motivates them to improve team performance. In turn, this helps to replicate the agile nature of on-site work. 

5 – Affected colleagues

Despite the myriad of changes in the workplace, the plight of employees receives very little attention.

Industries suffering the brunt of the economic lockdown, like the restaurant industry, have been forced to adopt measures to survive. While some of these companies and startups entire went defunct, some had to adjust their spending to accommodate their budget. As a result, a record number of layoffs has occurred during the pandemic. 

In light of this new development, some companies have arranged compensation packages for employees deemed ‘surplus to requirements.’ These packages will provide them with a financial safety net during the pandemic.

Also, employees affected directly by the virus need emotional support and counseling, even after recovery. Those who have lost loved ones should receive grieving allowances. And they should obtain bereavement leaves without any risk to their employment. 

Ultimately, managers need to master morale-boosting and virtual team-building exercises.

What does the future hold after COVID?

Despite the overwhelming negativity surrounding the pandemic, organizations can draw positives from this predicament. The lockdown has offered organizations a chance to reexamine their office culture and eliminate ineffective practices.

As a result, performance monitoring will focus on the employee’s productivity rather than the hours spent on-site. Besides, the vertical hierarchy of most companies will flatten, eliminating bureaucracy and redundancy in ideation and communication.

Most companies will also introduce (and encourage) hybrid working models instead of sticking with the office-based culture. This change will also decrease traffic during rush hour by eliminating the necessity of daily commutes.

Furthermore, changes in office culture will precipitate innovations that facilitate teleworking. Even doctors will be able to attend to patients with limited physical contact. 

Similarly, institutions will pay more attention to health guidelines by providing proper hygiene products and ventilation. Compensation packages and staff empowerment will take the fore during the coming years.

In reality, this COVID experience feels like a laboratory experiment. We are all trying to figure it out on the fly. But I firmly believe that these changes are for the best.