As much as employers have tried to give their workplaces the comforts of home, nothing has succeeded as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, during which people are literally working from the comforts of home.
Throughout the decades, offices have evolved from utilitarian and rigid to casual and open, and various points in between. Rows of desks have given way to well-lighted, shared spaces with perks that include video games, kegerators, pingpong tables, exercise equipment and gathering spaces for social occasions.
Remote work and flexible hours have become part of the equation, but none of the recent innovations compares to the overnight change brought on by COVID-19, in which entire companies shifted to working from home and meeting virtually.
With the pandemic more than half a year old and no immediate end in sight, the question is becoming less about what amenities the office should have to the more existential, “What is the office going to be?”
Each day a company accomplishes its mission with its people working remotely is a day the office concept is rethought by someone somewhere. What will the workplace look like when the pandemic ends? What will be its function and value? What will comprise a Best Place to Work?
In this time of rapid change it’s hard to predict, but let’s take a look at the virtual crystal ball and try to see what kind of places workers might be returning to when the pandemic subsides.
Remote Control
According to Forbes, before the pandemic 70% of employees believed going to the office wasn’t necessary, and recent experience probably won’t reduce that number much.
But for many, working remotely is simply a means to an end and they can’t wait to get back to the office environment for face-to-face contact, routine and the social experience.
Remote works tends to favor some occupations (design, accounting, clerical) more than others (sales, maintenance, construction), so it is likely many companies will take a hybrid approach and allow certain employees to work remotely or allow all employees to work remotely part of the time.
Working from home has built-in difficulties that include noisy children and pets, lack of a dedicated work area and potential internet speed or Wi-Fi problems. Look for employers to pay more attention to remote needs in the form of technology provided and possible creature comforts like chairs or desk setups.
BNSF Logistics, based in Springdale, has an employee communications app, BNSFL Connects, that allows the use of mobile technology to keep its dispersed workforce connected.
The Office Home
Most companies will still have a need for some kind of headquarters, hub or central location. A physical office can boost brand awareness, help with recruiting or simply serve as a status symbol, as well as providing a work home for those who can’t, or prefer not to, work remotely.
But workplaces aren’t likely to emerge from the pandemic completely unchanged. Not only are Zoom meetings and other virtual get-togethers here to stay, employers may rethink exactly how much space they need and how much to budget for a physical office.
Some companies may reduce their square footage. Others may opt for smaller, regional hubs rather than a central location.
Real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield has experimented with the “Six Feet Office,” a response to the pandemic that includes directional arrows on the walls and deskpads that are discarded daily.
While social distancing may be less necessary post-pandemic, expect offices to have more barriers between desks, while standing desks needing taller barriers might lose popularity. Shared spaces will be viewed more cautiously with more regular emphasis placed on cleanliness and hygiene.
Daily health checks could become common at many companies.
Pertaining to Perks
Speaking of health, COVID-19’s impact on employee wellness efforts could also result in changes.
Holiday parties, birthday celebrations and other morale builders should continue, although, like staff meetings, many fun events such as trivia contests can just as easily be held virtually.
Fort Smith’s Summit Utilities Inc. employees used their internal communications tool The Pipeline to share their pets and hold virtual book clubs. As employees returned, Summit held social distanced parking lot breaks with lawn chairs and Sonic drinks.
With fewer employees on campus, companies might invest less in exercise equipment and gym memberships and more on participatory fitness programs and competitions.
If large swaths of the workforce continue to work remotely, more emphasis could be placed on employee mental health to combat the effects of isolation.
Business Insider referenced a National Alliance of Healthcare Purchasers Coalitions survey that shows 53% of employers surveyed had provided special emotional and mental health programs during the pandemic.
Movista, in Bentonville, used the Slack platform to create a wellness channel with tips on mental health, self care, stress reduction and more.
As positive effects of such programs are seen, expect companies to spend more money and devote more resources to mental health options in the post-pandemic world.
Brave New World
Flying cars and jetpacks were supposed to change commuting (some of us still have hopes) and automation technology was supposed to do away with the workforce (tell that to your IT team), so it’s hard to say if all predictions about the post-pandemic “normal” will come true.
But it’s clear people are going to find ways to get the job done even if they can’t be in the same room. Offices may not be at full capacity, but 2020 has proved people are still full of ideas.
See more of this year’s BEST PLACES TO WORK.
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