The next normal will require some changes in the work structure as well as in employer-employee relationship. Here are a few must-do’s
The universe of work is changing. According to a McKinsey survey, organisations will be combining remote and on-site working. Working in the office is traditional; working remotely is a new way. And this arrangement is here to stay, whether we like it or not.
The pandemic forced companies to shut their offices and let employees work from home—often with a laptop and a prayer. For the first time, Covid-19 has elevated the importance of the physical dimension of work. Business leaders worried that productivity might take a dive. Would remote workers become too allured by Netflix or too preoccupied with housework to get much office work done? Surprisingly, in some organisations, just the opposite occurred: productivity went up after allowing employees to work from home (WFH). Moreover, working remotely has its advantages—such as commute times vanish, operational costs are reduced, absenteeism is diminished, among others.
See also: Working From Home Or In The Office? Why Younger Workers Might Prefer The Office
Despite these benefits, however, shifting to working remotely is not without its challenges, especially when it comes to communication and coordination among managers and employees. Psychologists say that people can easily get into an out-of-sight, out-of-mind, out-of-sync and out-of-touch mode in this environment. How do you measure productivity? How do you trust people you barely see? The lines between work and non-work times can get blurred, so managers should be concerned not just about productivity dropping but also about employees working too hard. The reality is, there can also be over productivity, where people are working more hours and getting burned out.
Fortunately, these are just wrinkles that companies can, and should iron out because remote work is here to stay in one form or another. With the availability of vaccines, the prospect of returning to old office routines appears more possible. Some say that the workplace as we know it is dead. I don’t think so, not really. But the pandemic, indeed, has challenged our conventional thinking about work. So now, business leaders need to create a new work universe that will keep employees happy and productive.
The question is not whether WFH will continue but rather, when does remote working make sense? When is one arrangement more advantageous than the other? When should managers let employees work remotely and when must they ask them to come to the office to work with the others?