The rise of the pandemic has allowed us to rethink many things in our pre-Covid lives. The acceleration of remote working is one concept that has been bubbling for years between employees and major corporations. More than one year after the first wave brushed through our cities, many employees are considering whether they'll ever return to the office again.
Although it has taken a pandemic to increase the use of the home office, other factors such as job satisfaction, employee wellness, diverse talent pools, and increased productivity are now contributing questions to whether office spaces are still relevant.
As the world slowly re-opens, and some countries looking to have their workforce return back to the office, employees are holding strong in their tracks - and those who employ them are finding innovative ways to meet their demands.
The Popularity of Working Remotely
Statistics revealed that in 2019, more than 26 million U.S. workers were already working from home comprising only 16% of the American workforce. Fast Forward a few years and nearly 56% of U.S. workers are constantly or partly working from home. This number has been decreasing as the number of cases starts to decrease, and the introduction of mass vaccination campaigns.
But although the popularity of the home office has increased since 2020, employees are enjoying home office benefits more than corporate benefits. Some of the most prominent benefits that come from working from home include;
● Employees are feeling less stressed
● Working from home has nearly halved their commuting time
● Employees are feeling more independent and flexible with their schedules
● Removal of location barriers
● Larger talent pools and recruitments for employers
These, and other factors may have helped the digital nomad ride out the pandemic from the comfort of their homes. But this doesn't necessarily remove the question of how offices and meeting places can still positively impact the employee and productivity?
The Digital Nomad Wants More Flexibility
Since the late 1980s, researchers and corporations have already seen a rise in the trend of the digital nomad. The digital nomad allowed remote workers and freelancers to work from anywhere in the world, while still traveling. Travel restrictions have limited the international movement of people, but employees are now rethinking their living spaces and neighborhoods.
Bustling cities and overcrowded streets have become a lot less attractive since the start of the pandemic. As employees saw an increase in remote working, many are looking to relocate outside of the city. Having access to bigger parks, landscapes, and relaxing environments.
The modern digital nomad might not work from their laptop while sitting on a beach in Bali. The modern climate surrounding current socio and political issues has made it more complacent for modern employees to leave the city life behind, and find solace in the countryside.
A Change in Recruitment and Hr
Recruitment practices have changed dramatically in the last few years. Chief Economist of LinkedIn, Karin Kimbrough has introduced the increasing removal of location barriers that will now help recruiters ' democratize of skills.' This allows recruiters to source more talent from various parts of the world, looking for the perfect candidate outside the geographical sphere.
With better recruitment practices, companies and larger corporations are looking to solve long-running issues regarding inequality and diversity. Today, these issues are being dealt with in a new way of thinking. Recruiters and HR are looking towards redefining the new office space, ensuring employees are satisfied while working remotely.
Changes in business in California have allowed some business owners and HR managers to rethink their current talent pool. Workers in specialized fields who were currently restricted by issues of travel, citizenship, and relocation now have the opportunity to apply for job roles that seemed impossible. A diverse talent pool and more flexibility in the workplace can help increase overall productivity outset.
The physical office may become irrelevant in a few years, but social isolation will see employees still looking to have human interaction in the workplace. The management of projects and sharing creativity have always played a major role in the overall success of the office. So where do we stand today? Will the office become a relic of the past, or will we rapidly redesign our offices to suit our needs and not necessarily that of the employer?
Brought to you by TRUiC