CORONAVIRUS WILL CHANGE THE WAY WE WORK FOREVER. OR WILL IT?

There is no doubt that the current crisis has impacted us all personally and professionally in some way. Since March, many people around the world have had to adapt their entire lives.

Businesses and leaders have had to shift the way that they motivate their staff; companies that are still hiring have had to ensure they can effectively onboard remotely and more attention than ever is focused on mental health and wellbeing.

But what does a post-Corona world of work look like?

For thousands upon thousands of people, working remotely is nothing new and for many businesses, they operate perfectly well without numerous physical “offices”. So, is it the case that this crisis is just going to speed up the ‘future of work’?

There are three key areas where we could see change happening:

1. Reduced need for office space.

Not everyone likes remote working, we suspect many can’t wait to get back into an office, but the choice will be there. Businesses will look at their costs, their people and their productivity and we will see increased levels of remote working.

This will shine a light on many of those we work with, as companies look to ensure that the infrastructure and security of networks is of the highest standard with workforces spread around locations.

We are likely to see policies and procedures to make remote work more widely available and businesses will realise that they are able to tap into a greater pool of highly skilled workers than they were previously.

2. A new Culture of Collaboration.

In a time of isolation, we have seen increased levels of collaboration. Companies, and indeed, countries have come together to work on solutions for the greater good of everyone – not just their shareholders. Automotive companies have been manufacturing ventilators and breweries have been creating hand sanitiser, just to name a few.

This heightened awareness of threat, in whatever form, should mean that companies and individuals create a Culture of Collaboration that transcends competition and borders – looking at the much bigger picture rather than the short-term shareholder gain.

3. People are going to expect more when searching for roles.

When companies start to hire post-Corona there will be a shift in what potential employees demand from the business they work for. This had already started to happen but will be emphasised much more in the future.

People are going to ask how businesses reacted and coped with the pandemic and what is in place moving forward to support them should it happen again. This builds on the increasing demands around flexibility, remote working set up and commitment to work-life balance, but it will be key.

Companies will be focusing a lot more on their employer brand, not just from an attraction point of view but from a retention and culture perspective. People have long memories, so some companies are going to have to make a significant shift in what they offer to remain competitive.

Or maybe nothing will change?

Some of the biggest companies in the world including Facebook, Google, Amazon and Nike quickly mobilised to set up virtual operations in light of the outbreak, and, to be fair we did here at Franklin Fitch as well (albeit on a smaller scale!). But will they/we stick with these new ways of working?

In reality, probably not 100%.

People, companies and nations will look at the positives and negatives and create a “new normal” that works for their employees and their customers and that will look different for everyone.

The businesses that have a strong culture that is constantly looking to innovate and adapt will realise the good to come out of these challenging times and will as such benefit. Those who believe there is nothing we can learn and revert to type, probably won’t.

What do you think that life after Corona will look like?