The pandemic has truly changed the world forever, and the world of work is no different. While many workers have lost their jobs, businesses have closed down, and other companies are left despondent, the remaining have no choice but to adjust and adapt. With the whole world shifting to online learning and working, companies that have relied on tried and true face-to-face methods have had to shift to a more remote work setting. It can be hard for some, especially on companies that rely on face-to-face transactions or haven’t adapted to new technology.
Luckily, with the use of recent innovations, working from home doesn’t have to be so jarring or so difficult for any company to face. As long as they have the means to access the internet, working from home is easily attainable and learnable. It may still be pretty jarring, especially to workers who are used to the traditional setup, but recent times have helped to make it more accessible and more necessary than ever.
The automation of business systems
To cope with the lack of employees and usual tangible systems, many businesses have turned to automated systems. With the use of AI and bots, business automation helps to streamline operations and gives more time for human resources to focus on better and more productive matters. It saves the company a lot of time and effort and is incredibly handy when conducting business online. From customer service hotlines to even outsourced payroll services, a lot of services can be and are fully automated.
Automation is already common for some companies, such as in the job application process and marketing emails, but the recent pandemic has only made the need for automation even more essential. It’s no longer a choice for companies looking for a leg-up but a necessity just to keep them afloat.
A ‘hybrid’ work environment
Every employee is different. Some might work better when they’re not at home, faced with so many distractions. Some might actually prefer to work from home instead of commuting to work every day. If there’s one thing this pandemic has taught us, it’s that different work styles work for different people. Now, plenty of people have no other choice but to work from home.
Companies have no doubt noticed the shift in productivity and quality of work, whether good or bad, from their employees. The need to adjust to the employees’ needs has brought companies to the idea of enacting a ‘hybrid’ style of working during and even after the pandemic.
A hybrid style combines the productivity of a work setting with the flexibility and freedom of a home setting. It gives employees the chance to choose where they would like to work and when with a focus on catering to the employees’ specific needs to help them be more productive and turn in higher quality work faster. It’s meant to be a win-win for everyone involved — employees, employers, and clients alike. While there’s no guarantee of its universal effectiveness, it does provide employees with far more benefits and freedom than ever before and could very well shape the future of work long after the pandemic has gone.
Putting technology and virtual communication at the forefront
Among the many things this pandemic has made abundantly clear is the outdated or lack of capable technology in some work environments. Companies have since strived to remedy that, although some might be slower than others. Keeping up-to-date with technological news and innovations has become more essential in order to conduct business and anyone who doesn’t adapt to the changing times inevitably gets left behind. Companies now work to not only provide their employees and clients with the basic virtual needs but actively prioritize virtual needs and methods over others.
With the focus shifting towards remote environments, so has the focus shifted to keeping technological requirements and innovations at the forefront of business models and strategies. Just like with everything else, making sure that devices and other software tools that are needed for work have become a necessity rather than an option.
A focus on the employee’s needs
This pandemic has been hard on all of us but perhaps none more so than the working force. Essential workers that are still required to leave home and clock in at work have it especially hard, with the threat of catching COVID-19 always looming close. One good thing that has come out of it though is that companies are starting to accommodate and adapt to the needs of the good employees that they have.
To ease their workloads and allay their fear and concerns, more and more companies are starting to shift to a more employee-focused business model that always keeps the employees’ particular needs in mind, to not only maximize productivity and profit but also make sure that they’re safe and healthy.
This unprecedented shift towards a virtual and employee-focused work environment can not only save many businesses during a pandemic but also be beneficial to all parties in the long run.
