CHANGES TO EXPECT IN THE WORKPLACE AFTER COVID-19

Do not be reactive and wait for reentry. Leaders must prepare by setting expectations for updated workflow methods that benefit an organization down the road.

Due to the pandemic, the workplace environment you were used to will never be the same. Even the description of the word “workplace” unexpectedly seems archaic, as the actual location we now work has blended with the spaces in which we relax, spend time with family, cook, sleep, and more.

For organizations, the virus has been steering change on how employees communicate and operate with each other, in addition to clients and colleagues. Now that businesses are moving past their initial reaction to the virus, we have entered a short-term transitional phase. Nevertheless, what will the impending effects of our new existence be on the workforce?

Successful organizations will be those who mix and control a digital existence, implement community-building initiatives, and cooperate. To thrive, companies must plan right now for five crucial moves:

1. Digital conversion, aided by a virtual workforce

Businesses have swiftly thought out how to serve their clientele remotely, and these methods will continue. Industries of all types have initiated their digital makeover. Therefore, the search for extremely skilled remote employees will continue to rise. With an increase in qualified candidates in the market due to furloughs and layoffs, organizations, if able, should prepare to enlist these individuals immediately and effortlessly. This scenario allows a business to capitalize on cost savings and access talent.

2. Concentration on yields instead of faceto-face time

Arriving first to the office and being the last one to leave is no longer a gauge of dedication and accomplishment. Post virus, your coworkers will be evaluated by what gets accomplished and the value of their work instead of on solo tasks and project timelines. The C Level must provide sharp, progress-driven expectations so that their employees can accomplish tasks. Encouraging employees to work efficiently will require clear metrics. Companies must set expectations for what pushes an organization’s goals, rather than mundane tasks.

3. Regard for work-life blend

More so now than ever before, businesses realize that working from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm is unacceptable when considering today’s workforce challenges. If executives focus on flexibility for employees to achieve top performance, they can strengthen the cultural swing of assessing staff on a performance-based scale. These adjustments can result in substantial advantages for an organization. Organizations should now support employees’ desires for self-care to include exercising, meal prep, and family. Policies should suggest these changes, and managers must build a new work-life balance, making it a focus of company culture.

4. Strengthen communications

Now that many organizations are moving to become entirely virtual, people are communicating at a much more efficient rate using a networked ecosystem. To do this properly, it takes teamwork to find opportunities for discussion in various formats. Leadership must make communication easier for individuals. Removing outdated obstacles and creating a structure that allows decision-making within all levels gives employees the tools, tactics, and training needed to inspire them for constant communication.

5. Increases in confidence, clarity, and compassion

We see massive changes to management style. Behaviors like being candid, humble, and listening skills have long been considered essential qualities of great managers. Now more than ever, the employer and employee relationship must include understanding and support. Individuals are more forthcoming about their circumstances with coworkers, and therefore, they are forming bonds by practicing compassion and encouragement. Managers that express these characteristics and appreciate quality people in their environment will receive confidence and devotion from their employees. Those leaders will hang onto their staff for the long haul and see productivity rise exponentially, regardless of what is happening in the world.

Indeed, the coronavirus is forcing us to shift our activities, especially our work environment. To prepare for our new existence after a vaccine, managers should embrace today’s digital, quarantined practices and incorporate them quickly. Instead of sitting back with a “wait and see” mindset, preparation, and creating expectations should be top of mind to any leader. This proactive behavior will allow employees to concentrate on the priorities that drive success.