When Covid’19 first hit, it changed the layout of the working world completely. The consequences of the sudden pandemic were severe as it caused several companies to fall into a state of panic and the livelihood of numerous employees was endangered.
The long-term consequences however have been quite fruitful in terms of improving the productivity of many businesses, brands and organizations.
This is because many companies adopted new methods of working which have completely altered our understanding of a proficient work environment, forcing us to re-evaluate the elements which we deemed necessary for conducting business successfully such as physical interactions and what tools to use.
With the majority of the workforce operating remotely during the pandemic, it became apparent that this flexible style of working is bound to stick. The traditional 9-5 office-centric work model seemed outdated and unnecessary since employees were working 3-5 days per week for shorter hours and still completing their tasks competently.
With 2000 tasks analyzed in 8 focus countries post-pandemic, we can see that the hybrid model of working will continue for 20-25% of the jobs without a decline in productivity.
While certain tasks are considered best conducted in person like physical activities, many companies are now hoping to move towards a more adaptable workspace where teams will be resourced remotely and interact virtually instead.
This can help reduce the amount of space they need as well as costs for business travel and employer costs. Another smart benefit of allowing employees to work remotely is that the best talent can be hired for the job regardless of where they are situated.
This will not only build a more skilled workforce but also encourage diversity and create opportunities for the business to expand. The increase in remote work has opened the door to new ways of working as an alternative to full timer employee head count. Utilising platforms and tech to leverage a more efficient and at times cheaper alternative.
Since cost-cutting became necessary for many companies during the pandemic, downsizing was a huge negative effect of it.
In hindsight however downsizing introduced two important ideas to the working world, one was the incorporation of SAAS (Software as a service) or outsourcuing to automate work processes and the other was the development of a broader skillset amongst employees. Companies can be seen investing in SAAS and or AI to reduce the number of labor force needed for routine tasks.
The next aspect of the working environment which took the biggest hit during covid was the digital world. Companies realized that their traditional infrastructures are no longer applicable in the post-pandemic society and soon started to push the boundaries of technology and innovation further.
Consumers now place a great deal of importance on feasibility and convenience, so firms had to adapt quickly and accelerate the digitalization of their operations as well as customer interactions.
A company’s success is measured in its ability to survive, and survival depends solely on adaptability. Only a brand, company or team that can adapt quickly in the face of adversity using the limited resources that it may have can manage to last.
Covid brought a range of challenges for the working world but has also managed to break down the barriers to digital advancement and unconventional thinking.