The way we work has undergone significant change over the past year, with most of the workforce moving to work from home virtually overnight. Even as we started to emerge from lockdown, one way or another, remote work is here to stay. The way in which companies and individuals adapt to this change will determine working life in the future. Employees have been asking for greater flexibility in how and where they work for years, and it is these ever-changing demands that will characterize the world of work in the coming year. About the Author Andy Wilson is the UK manager at Dropbox
Until the pandemic, much of our work life was based in and around the office; a space to connect and facilitate in-person collaboration. But while many of us missed being physically with our coworkers, working from home gave us the opportunity to spend more time with our families and the freedom to manage our personal lives. Turns out none of us fail to scramble to book meeting rooms, remember? In fact, research has shown that 90% of employees now say they would like to continue working from home after the pandemic. As we move out of lockdown, many offices will become spaces of pure collaboration and connectivity, in a way that cannot be achieved at home, and an important aspect of that will be their physical layout. Desks will no longer be just a collection of individual desks and workspaces to carry out your daily activities. Instead, these will be floors structured as discussion centers for team building, and rooms covered with white boards. As a result, the time we spend in these spaces will become more intentional, like meeting colleagues to brainstorm ideas, and it is this shift in mindset that will allow for greater flexibility in the way people work, both as a team and individually.
Non-linear business days
One of the main advantages of working remotely is the possibility of adapting your working hours to your personal situation. We're starting to see employees have much more control over their time, while also meeting the demands of their jobs and enjoying greater flexibility, which doesn't always feel like a linear eight-hour day. An example of this is setting up basic collaboration hours. This means that each employee has a four-hour window in the day for synchronous collaboration (ie, meetings). This does not mean that working days are reduced to four hours; instead, it allows companies to help employees draw boundaries between synchronous collaboration (meeting with colleagues, discussing ideas, etc.) and asynchronous work (individual work done outside of meetings or outside of meetings). of time for "deep work"), must occur. By giving employees the flexibility and autonomy to take control of their day, companies can enable them to work in the way that works best for them. Mental health is a vital aspect of this, as working remotely can lead to an “always on” attitude. However, by setting boundaries with team members and communicating openly about work hours, we can encourage employees to unplug and spend time doing the things they love.
Ensuring a level playing field
Being in the office has always provided us with valuable information from colleagues and colleagues at work. But when done right, remote work can also offer these opportunities and ensure that no one is left behind. Creating formal training, onboarding, and matchmaking systems are great ways to ensure everyone has access to top leaders, the tools they need to do their jobs well, and the continuous opportunity to improve. Outside of traditional on-the-job training, employees learn by building their everyday relationships. To maintain corporate culture in a remote work environment, for example, companies must deliberately recreate the conversations of their colleagues as they bump into each other over coffee. Companies can also host "ask me anything" forums and a series of in-home "chats" with executives that are open to the entire company. This helps make leaders more accessible to the entire workforce, while making the job more human.
The future of work
No one can really say what the future holds for the world of work, but one thing is clear: remote work is here to stay. It is imperative that companies focus on the mental well-being of their employees during this time and find a solution that offers greater agility; in addition to providing them with tools for closer collaboration. Those who do will quickly set themselves apart from the competition and reap the rewards. Working from home has been a challenge for many of us, so going forward, business leaders will focus on mitigating the impacts of the past year. Much of this is due to a shift in mindsets about how companies operate and the flexibility needed to let people thrive, wherever they are.