Everything changed over one year ago. A virus outbreak started small, but slowly spread through the entire world and turned into a global pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic changed the world, but not only. It changed the way we interact with each other; it changed the way we work, travel, and live at your home. People who were working in an office had to adapt to new changes or move home to settle there a permanent workplace. 

Companies and businesses could not risk the health of their employees, so working from home became the new normal. Of course, people who were working in the production field or department could not work remotely, but the great majority of people who are working from a computer can work from everywhere. All they need is a good connection to the internet, a desk and dedicated working space, and productivity. 

However, some people are thinking and hoping that we will soon return to what the world was before. Unfortunately, the global pandemic changed the world forever and some things will become the new normal. Adapting to these abrupt changes is difficult, but not impossible. Moreover, adopting a different perspective on how the pandemic changed the world could make us see the bigger picture and learn from our previous mistakes. 

So, office work will never be the same. But how will it change? Let’s take a look at the main 10 causes why this is happening. 

1. Remote work is here to stay forever

According to the latest reports of the cv writing service, before the pandemic, there was a small percentage of people that were able to work from home. There were even fewer digital nomads and this was because many companies and businesses were skeptical regarding remote work. They thought that because employees were able to work from wherever they want, they would not work at all. If before you needed to be a freelancer to have this flexibility, now things have changed. With the global pandemic that forced people to keep a physical distance to protect themselves, remote work has become the new normal. 

And it was something that taught many companies that it’s not like they think. Remote work comes with higher productivity, motivation, and job satisfaction. So, even though the vaccination is more popular and more and more people decide to vaccinate themselves, remote work is here to stay. Of course, people who would like to return to work from an office might be able to do so. But the great majority will continue working remotely. 

2. More Flexibility 

One of the benefits working from home came with is more flexibility. Employees were yearning for more flexibility from their jobs. Working on a strict schedule from 9 to 5 might give your life some structure, but sometimes you might need more flexibility. 

According to the reports of the best essay writing service review on college paper.org reviews, more flexibility does not mean less work, but a better organization. When working from home, you can organize your schedule however you want. When you take a break from working you can do your house chores or prepare your meal. However, there is a downside of too much flexibility. If you do not know how to make the difference between personal and work life, you could mix them and end up spending more time working and feeling exhausted. 

3. More Automation 

Some might think that automation is characteristic only to blue collars, but this is not true. Even though last year was not marked by tremendous advances in automation, this year is different. Automation is one of the things many companies and businesses choose to implement, something that will reduce the number of jobs available. But this automation of tasks could also allow some employees to focus on more complex tasks. 

4. Different Communication 

Working from home or remotely came with many changes for people that are working in a team. Communication and collaboration are essential in a team to ensure cohesion and productivity. However, as the global pandemic forced every team to work remotely, things have changed drastically. If before you could stop by your colleague’s office to discuss the project, now this communication is done online. There are video and audio calls that take place (using the Eyeson tool), but most communication is done on chats. And because everyone has the flexibility of organizing their schedule however they want, communication will be asynchronous. 

5. Collaborations with Freelancers 

Remote work opened a new door for many employees who decided to embark on the freelancer journey. Their number has grown tremendously and this grabbed the attention of companies and businesses. Freelancers are autonomous people who take on projects and deliver them by the deadline. Because there are more and more freelancers, companies and businesses will consider working and collaborating with them.

6. Productivity Metrics 

Before the pandemic when few companies allowed their employees to work remotely, productivity was measured considering some metrics. However, these metrics are no longer valid because everything changed now. The emphasis will be put on the quality of work, not on the quantity. 

7. Offices Will Have a Different Purpose 

One benefit working from home came with for the employers is reduced costs. They no longer have to pay the rent for the office, the utilities, and all the tools employees needed. However, this does not mean that they will get rid of the office. Offices will be smaller and they will be the place where teams meet and collaborate in person on different tasks. They can organize meetings for brainstorming or to get things done, but most work will be done remotely. 

8. Artificial Intelligence 

Just like automation, artificial intelligence and machine learning will be more and more present in our lives. And in our working lives too. According to the reviews of the assignment writing service, like writing services australia, many tasks are boring and dull and that could be done by automation or artificial intelligence. Software products based on this could make the workload of many employees less heavy, allowing them to avoid exhaustion and burnout. 

9. Employee Retention Will Be Challenging 

Because employees are working remotely, they no longer meet face to face. And even though this might be something some of them were looking for, integrating the new employees into teams will be challenging. There is a different bond or connection that gets established between team members when they are seeing each other during working days. 

10. Office Culture 

Some things are specific to every company. Each business has its goal, scopes, values, and so on. And these should reflect in the everyday work employees are doing. But teaching them the importance of the company culture and helping them feel it will be more difficult. 

Final Words 

Even though some people want to return to work from an office full time, others want to stay working remotely forever. Working from home comes with many benefits, both for employers and employees. But they also come with downsides. However, the office work will never be the same. There will be many changes that will take place, with AI, automation, machine learning, and freelancers making their way to the new office work and culture.

About the author:

Tiffany Harper is a training guru who’s been working in the corporate sector as a technology expert for several years now. She is a management graduate and loves to share her experience through blogs and expert articles with Aussiessay. For her love of writing, she provided online consultations for some research paper writing service while working with EssayWritingLand. Please do not hesitate to contact her on LinkedIn.