With employees having been working remotely for more than a year at this point, questions have been raised regarding the future of the workplace. Did the COVID pandemic speed up an already existing process or did it lay the foundations for an industry-wide shift?

The Good

There seem to be two key factors that are changing the workplace landscape, automation and employee preferences. Automation within the workplace preceded the COVID pandemic. However, employee preferences have come under the microscope since the pandemic.

Because the pandemic shifted most work online, employees have had the chance to experience work like never before. Working from home has brought along its perks such as flexible working hours, no commute, increased family time, and a comfortable working environment. Statistics back the claim that most individuals want some form of remote work to stick around. Only 3% of workers stated that they wanted to return full time to a physical office, in a survey conducted by Growmotely. This points to the fact that the future of the workplace is away from physical office spaces and leaning towards a hybrid or remote approach.

Remote work not only benefits the employee but has also shown to help the employer in several aspects. Companies can now access a larger talent pool and recruit beyond geographical restrictions. Since work is remote, the cost of physical office spaces can be avoided and used in more productive areas of the company. That is one side of the story.

The Bad

It would be unfair to say remote work is all rainbows and butterflies. Employers have been struggling to build a workplace culture in a remote setting. With employees spread across geographies and virtual activities limited, team building has been a challenge that needs new ideas to attack it. Employee morale has been affected as well. This is where the idea of a hybrid workplace kicks in, with the possibility of providing the best of both worlds. Employees will have the flexibility while maintaining the benefits of a physical office space. It is important to note, neither hybrid nor remote work can be possible without advancements in technology.

The Reality

The presence of Zoom and HopIn like software has assisted the shift to remote work. Companies held meetings regularly and were able to host conferences with a large number of participants in an online setting. The presence of this technology shows that the pandemic only accelerated a process that was already underway. Major companies such as Twitter and Salesforce have embraced this shift by providing employees with remote and hybrid work options that include the option to work from home permanently.

At this point, the question for many companies that have yet  to begin their own digital transition is not when to start, but how long will they survive these changing times if they don't adapt?