COVID-19 has taken the world by storm and drastically transformed our day-to-day lives: from city lockdowns, to virtual learning environments, to social distancing practices, and work-from-home solutions. However, over the last nine months, several businesses and individuals have adopted these drastic changes and accepted them as the new normal. Based on a report from Gartner, many workers will continue to work remotely post-COVID-19.
Employees all around the globe are reporting higher job satisfaction and greater productivity because of working remotely. In addition, working from home removes the need to commute to and from the office, rush for a quick lunch break, or stay at the office after hours and away from friends and family. Not only does this grant employees more freedom and greater peace of mind, but also provides tangible benefits to companies. Working remotely is very beneficial to businesses, as they can save on lower real estate, equipment, and supply costs.
Working remotely offers employees a variety of advantages, but it also has its fair share of disadvantages; while many individuals claim to be more productive and fulfilled when working from home, others state that they work longer hours and aren’t able to separate their work space from their home space. Many individuals feel there is a lack of boundaries as to when they start and stop working, resulting in longer workdays and higher levels of stress. Not to mention, working remotely can result in greater isolation due to a lack of social interaction.
For many businesses like Digital Thrive, working remotely has always been the norm. Other companies, on the other hand, have been forced to make the transition due to the pandemic. Based on an article from CNN, numerous companies are considering making work-from-home a permanent change and offering their employees more flexibility in their work environments. Corporations such as Facebook, Twitter, and Slack plan to allow employees to continue working remotely after the pandemic if they wish. Other businesses, on the other hand, are eager to return to work and are slowly reopening their offices at a limited capacity.
By and large, most large businesses and corporations are planning to remain remote until next year. Will work-from-home and Zoom meetings become the new normal? Only time will tell.