The impact of workplace shifts as employees return to the office

COVID-19 has had a major impact on today’s workforce, and as a result, the workplace is undergoing shifts in work as employees return to the office.

The early months of the coronavirus pandemic saw many employees working from home.  Now, as we adjust to the new normal, companies are beginning to focus on planning for the return to the office with new protocols and guidelines, including floor plan modifications, health and safety plans, and new policies for reentry. 

While many companies can maintain functionality with large numbers of employees working from home, there have been several shifts in workforce and workplace dynamics. Management teams must assess each of these shifts to inform plans for how their companies will employ successful return-to-office plans. 

Chief Executive recently published an article that looks at five specific shifts in work. Let’s take a look: 

• Shift 1: Increased work from home is here to stay
• Shift 2: New talent markets await
• Shift 3: Managing remote work requires work
• Shift 4: The corporate footprint is probably suboptimal
• Shift 5: Post-pandemic, many companies will likely need fewer seats 

While the impact of these shifts will vary by company, it’s important to address each point to find the balance between remote work and return-to-office plans. Cross-functional collaboration between HR, IT, Real Estate, Finance, and other business functions is essential; however, once that collaboration is in place, a variety of benefits can be unlocked, including improved employee experience, access to new talent, and opportunities for cost reduction. 

Read the full article here. 

Photo:  Edmond Dantès