How COVID-19 Could Impact the Future Workplaces?

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I’m sure you all have been affected by COVID-19 also known as novel coronavirus in some way. Whether that means worrying about your job, elderly parents, kids, or stocking up on essentials to work from home, it’s hard to not feel the stress in this situation.

For the business owners, you may be seeing fewer sales leads, customers as people limit social interaction, traveling, business activities, and focus on staying healthy rather than on looking for new business, product, or service.

At some point in the future, we will need to turn our attention from coronavirus survival to adaptation. Business leaders and corporates will need to consider the post-coronavirus work norms to deal with this crisis that has altered the behaviors of the population, consequently the work structure of our corporates, and we all need to support one another.

The impact of this crisis will linger in our workplaces and generations. Here are some factors which will reshape the workplace of the future:

How Does This Lockdown Change The Way We Work?

No “Expensive Workplaces”

In the lockdown situation, every organization had to find a way of working from home. We have all had to get used to the technology and tools which allow us to work from anywhere, anytime. Having worked from our homes, business leaders are now raising questions about the need for expensive workplaces which now stand locked.

Organizations are currently seeing a decline in demand for their products or services, which makes them consider the end of their operations and take a look at their core services. With the need to cut costs, organizations can’t ignore every aspect of profit-making that adds sufficient value to the effort to justify the business just being retained.

Meetings Will Be Replaced by “Instant Messaging”

What do you expect from your post-pandemic work calendar? Do you want to have fewer meetings? The coronavirus pandemic has made people use tech tools in the workplace, as they have had no choice but to adapt. But in this situation, workers are becoming more skilled and efficient.

Yes, people are becoming more patient in learning new technologies and applying them to their work. It is like we’re developing new ways to work virtually. In addition, we can expect a more agile way of working and communicating with colleagues. It will be now more instant messages and emails. For workers who no longer work together in an office, can talk on phone calls and daily meetings can be conducted on video calls. This way organizations can build trust among workers who can’t interact in person.

“Medical Screening” at the Workplace the New Normal

On-the-job medical screening will become a new norm. It will include medical screening such as temperature checks and antibody tests. In the coming years, it will be a reality for those who go to work in the years ahead.

For many it’s already happening, as it is essential for workers to maintain medical awareness, some of the biggest brands of the global business industry, including Walmart, Amazon, Starbucks, and more have started doing the medical screening of their employees before they are allowed to work by the orders of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Coworkers Will Be “a Lot Closer”

This is one of the major upsides of this pandemic, as it could strengthen the personal relationships with colleagues. According to some of the industry experts, they think colleagues will become closer to each other when they work from home. Coworkers will use messaging platforms to talk to each other in person and there will probably be fewer sad faces at your workplace. Workplace virtual friendships will become a new norm among colleagues who relied on instant messaging apps during the pandemic and got to know one another on a more personal level.

This is a better way rather than to talk in-person with your colleagues, as handshakes are not allowed during this pandemic. The virtual messaging and gesture will be more friendly and could become the social norm.

No Standard “9-to-6 Work Hours”

Most working professionals demand work-life balance. This lockdown many employers have allowed their workers to set their working days at a set time. And this will a new norm in the future workplace. With many workers successfully working from home now, it will be mandatory for employers to give their employees flexibility for work hours. Companies such as Salesforce and other brands were already allowed flexible hours for their employees.

It will generate a sense of responsibility among your employees, as it creates a balance between work time and personal time. Employees will work closely together to ensure that no one is feeling pressured to respond to emails and messages at all hours of the day.

“Automation” At Workplace

Electric vehicles body assembly line. 3D rendering image.

The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the need for automation at digital workplaces that may replace the jobs of workers. Because of lockdown measures, many corporates are finding ways to operate with as few employees as possible. Also, if they work with Robots and machines, they don’t fall sick.

It is true that the Coronavirus has caused the need for automation at the workplace, thus employees need to develop new skills in order to meet employer’s expectations. It is especially true in the case of workers who have been laid off from their jobs.

For years, companies have been looking for ways for automating repetitive tasks through robots that can streamline their manufacturing processes and AI drones that can deliver goods. This kind of automation is important during economic downturns that’s why companies are going to adopt it much faster.

No “Middle Management Positions”

In the years ahead, you could see a cut out of middle management positions. This thing also happened during the global financial crisis of 2008 when organizations cut out all sorts of middle management employees. It’s possible we may see a similar situation in the coming years too.

The demand for top-level managers will bounce back once the pandemic is over or subsides because organizations will need to improve their productivity and business processes. For handing the management structure it will be required to hire managers for creating room for error-free reports and dealing with operations mismanagement.

Looking Forward

To stay up-to-date on how the COVID-19 crisis is impacting the workplace of the future, contact us here for more information & updates.

We Syncrasy Tech a global IT solutions company provides robust IT solutions and development solutions for startups and corporates during this pandemic situation. Our expert development teams are always looking for new projects so you can focus on building your business with peace of mind and having a perfect support system to guide you at every step of the way.

Tenjit Sharma
Tenjit Dev Sharma is Senior Marketing Manager (Product) at BetterCommerce, Delivering enterprise scale commerce for D2C brands and mid-market retailers.

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