As teams move their meetings to conference calls, their workspace to a project management board and their processes to digital workflows, many are seeing the huge benefit in efficiency, convenience and transparency that comes from bringing work online.Â. The coronavirus is forcing enterprises to rethink the way they do business and dust off … Expect remote work to continue. Experience matters for remote work: Productivity and communication take a hit when employees are new to working from home.The good news is that experience helps. As of mid-April, however, 62% of US employees are working from home because of fears about the coronavirus. The pandemic will only accelerate this trend. 74% of the CFOs surveyed said that they expect to move previously on-site employees remote post-COVID-19. Many believe that this move towards work from home will be a more permanent change, rather than a temporary one. Despite predictions to the contrary and calls – especially among female employees – for even shorter workweeks and flexible schedules, little has changed in 70 years. Similar remote work statistics are observed in other parts of the world. Although it’s just a start-up, the company now competes with corporations like Samsung for engineering talent. These challenges give new importance to worker health and wellness, and for HR and L&D professionals, the future of work will require a stronger focus and a more holistic view of employee well-being . The global spread of COVID-19 has led to a rapid shift of companies moving to working from home and relying on remote work tools now more than ever, in an effort to maintain business continuity. Software robots to infiltrate the workspace. In addition to increased remote work, more workers will seek supportive employers with a track record of doing right by employers. The pre-coronavirus crisis focus on supporting mental health among employees will adapt, establishing new avenues of support as employees are managing large changes in their work and personal lives (health, financial, changed caring arrangements for children and parents) at the same time. Thank you! Among this group, the biggest factor driving this permanent change was the cost-saving benefits of working from home — a factor that they have gotten clear insight on during this current outbreak. As German designer Konstantin Grcic argued “the office is everywhere I go to work.”. A different theory posits that employers and employees starved of interpersonal connections will rebel against remote work. 1. One financial services company told us it believes a hybrid model (rather than 100% remote) would likely be the working model of choice for many of its employees, who see 100% remote work as unsustainable. On the negative side, some managers are struggling to maintain high performance from workers who are no longer in close proximity. The workplace of the future: The post-Covid-19 wave of remote working By Sampath Sowmyanarayan 08 July 2020 CIOs need to adapt quickly and plan for the new, flexible remote … To request such permission and for further inquiries, please contact IMD at, Global Center for Digital Business Transformation. The truth is somewhere in between, but a greater proportion of organizations are clearly opting for the benefits of virtual offices. Many may resist returning to the 40-plus-hour workweek – with limited paid vacation and sick days – when the crisis passes. Inspiring technologies that can transform your business For individual business executives and teams who are looking to gain a deeper understanding of the latest innovative technologies. Your submission has been received! Something went wrong while submitting the form. Remote and flexible work environments were on the rise prior to Covid. And some employers may adopt the same attitude. Finally, remote working can give a renewed boost to cooperation and cohesion. Peter Thompson sent a memo to the government outlining a plan for a remote-work visa. For corporate wellness programs to reach the same level of engagement as before the pandemic, providers will need to utilize robust, interactive technology to keep remote employees engaged. Those who’ve been working from home for over a … From the 1840s to the 1950s, the length of the average American workweek (for manufacturing workers and nonsupervisory personnel) dropped from 70 hours to 40.5 hours. ... (74%) of companies plan to shift employees to remote work permanently after the COVID-19 crisis ends. With the digital workspace able to truly replicate all the elements of working together in an office, more companies are likely to stick to this as a long-term solution and method of working together as part of their “new normal”. The COVID-19 pandemic is having a profound impact on the present state of work.The crisis is throwing millions of people across the globe out of employment, sending people with good jobs home to work remotely, and exposing millions of front-line workers providing the necessities of life to a deadly virus. Once COVID-19 is behind us, companies should apply what they have experienced and learned during this process to continually improve their remote work policies for the long term. While the pandemic continues to evolve globally, many are already planning ahead for the other side of this situation: a future where the spread of COVID-19 ceases and life slowly adjusts back. de Bellerive 23 P.O. But will it last? The just released World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report found that more than 80% of employers expect to make wider use of remote work and to digitize working processes. Predicting the future of work is hard when you’re still in the midst of the catastrophe. COVID-19 has forced teams worldwide to work from home — but what lies ahead for how we work once the pandemic ends? The new normal telecommuting may be a bit more permanent than realized, as 74% of CFOs say they expect to move previously on-site employees remote post-COVID-19, … How does the huge shift in workplace behavior that we are seeing now impact how we work in the future? Just before the pandemic, an IDC report forecast that software robots’ workforce contributions would increase by 50% over the next two years – a number that may now be too conservative. The difference in the pre-COVID remote work numbers and post-COVID plans – and the large number of businesses who moved some or all their workforce to remote during the crisis itself – tells us that COVID-19 not only is a significant catalyst in shifting to remote, but also heavily impacts future plans around remote work. Copyright © 2020 Amity Corporation. This comes from the reduction of both on-site technology spend, as well as reduced costs in real estate expenses. Coronavirus and the Future of Work. Box 915 CH-1001 Lausanne, Switzerland, IMD SE Asia Pte. Investing in remote working will have far-reaching consequences on the way we work after the crisis. Flexibility and choice to work from anywhere is accelerating By 2016, that figure had risen to 43%. Although work-life balance has long concerned US workers, especially Millennials, only sporadic gains were achieved prior to the pandemic. However, that future has arrived sooner than anticipated as many countries, companies and workers shifted to remote working in order to contain the transmission of COVID-19, dramatically changing how we work. Oops! But today – thanks in part to the ubiquity of the (now endangered) “open-office plan” – millions of workers have had their hours cut in order to maintain social distancing in the workplace. What is your work-from-home forecast for after Covid-19? Outside the US, a big victory occurred in 2018, when Europe’s largest industrial labor union, IG Metall, negotiated the right to work as few as 28 hours per week for German metal workers. At the same time, there are financial benefits for the employees too: a study done by online recruitment platform FlexJobs found that remote employees save as much as $4,000 a year from commuting, office meals, and other miscellaneous expenses. During a recession in the late 1990s, Finland’s federal government sponsored a program called the “6+6 Plan,” under which municipal offices were open for 12 hours each day and staffed by civil servants on six-hour shifts. Building a sustainable post-COVID future. These assessments, of course, assume that tomorrow’s reality will look like a modified version of today’s which is almost impossible to say. How COVID-19 caused the future of work to arrive early. For tips on how to set up work from home policies, check out the advice from Eko’s VP Head of People, Katie Wan here.Â. This program is jointly designed by IMD and Swiss federal institute o ... Interestingly, though, and thanks to remote work, employers may be enjoying gains in worker productivity. Remember the days when you could effortlessly walk over to a colleague and chat about a project? Eko is the virtual workspace helping teams stay engaged, productive and connected while working remotely. A recent Gartner poll showed that 48% of employees will likely work remotely at least part of the time after COVID-19 versus 30% before the pandemic. Also known as “digital workers”, AI-enabled software programs will be “hired” in greater numbers to assist human employees (and sometimes replace them) by taking over certain administrative tasks, as well as “virus-friendly” customer-service interactions. What can we expect from remote work going forward? Remote work preferences and policies have been drastically influenced by the COVID-19 outbreak. In the meantime, here is our current work-from-home forecast: We recommend that organizations take the following steps to reimagine how work is done and what the future role of the office will be. Whereas a 2019 poll revealed that 27% of office workers would not delegate any work to AI, and a third (32%) believed that AI could not do a better job than them on any task, pandemic-fueled changes to working behavior seem to be allaying people’s fears that digital workers will steal their jobs. The technology to support remote work has been around for over a decade, and COVID-19served as a "trial by fire," both for the technology itself, as well as users and support staff. Similarly, social workplace activities and water cooler chats are finding their online version through employee-driven group chats and virtual happy hours. Fewer hours and more flexible work schedules. All rights reserved. Search for publications, programs, event, people and much more... who typically don’t fare well during prolonged periods, 48% of remote workers exhibit more discretionary effort. Most have simply transplanted existing processes to remote work contexts, ... they may need to be entirely rethought and transformed for a post–COVID-19 world. Remote working on a larger scale also offers companies the flexibility to deal with unexpected events in the future, such as the COVID-19 crisis. Sixty percent of businesses surveyed by McKinsey in early April said that their new remote sales models were proving as much (29 percent) or more effective (31 percent) than traditional channels. In fact, a survey conducted by globally research company Gartner with 317 CFOs and business finance leaders found that 74% plan to move their previously on-site workforce to permanently remote positions post-COVID-19. It’s already a cliché: the COVID-19 crisis has accelerated the shift to digital. During the two years the program was in effect, public satisfaction with government services went up, and most employees reported improved work-life balance. The sudden switch to remote digital work, overnight and en masse, has the potential to accelerate changes in how work is performed and the way we think about working arrangements. Put bluntly: while many employees thrive in a less structured environment with minimal supervision, others require more frequent “intervention” to keep them focused and engaged. As organizations shift to more remote work operations, explore the critical competencies employees will need to collaborate digitally, and be prepared to adjust employee experience strategies. The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in a new wave of U.S. remote work policies for employers who otherwise may not have considered them. Remote work itself presents a new set of challenges for talent development and individual ... is poised to be a leader in the new post-coronavirus world. Because of the pandemic, millions more workers are discovering the joys (and hassles) that accompany working from home. One obvious hypothesis about the future of working is that for office jobs, it will become disconnected from physical offices. Ltd South Beach Tower 38 Beach Road #17-11 Singapore 189767, IMD Chemin de Bellerive 23 PO Box 915 CH-1001 Lausanne Switzerland Tel: +41 21 618 01 11 [email protected] www.imd.org, Copyright © 2006-2021 IMD - International Institute for Management Development. Managing a remote team usually requires changes in how managers communicate their expectations and instructions, as well as customized approaches for optimizing each employee’s productivity. Humans are inherently social animals who are biologically hard-wired for spending quality time with each other, and who typically don’t fare well during prolonged periods of extreme isolation. For many industries, work will change drastically within the next five years. Although the technology to facilitate remote work has been around for over a decade, COVID-19 has forced hundreds of millions of employers and employees worldwide to engage in a sudden, massive, real-time experiment with remote work arrangements. All rights, including copyright, pertaining to the content of this website/publication/document are owned or controlled for these purposes by IMD, except when expressly stated otherwise. For many companies, this is the first time where teams are having to collaborate, operate and communicate virtually through the power of technology. Readers share their most pressing questions and concerns about the future of work in post-Covid societies. As remote work becomes increasingly necessary across America and around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s no shortage of advice on h ow to be your “most productive” self while toiling outside the office. Many people are now used to doing this virtually – and although some of us will be returning to the workplace, it looks like remote working is here to stay in some form or other. On the other side of the coin, there is also a huge amount of employees who don’t prefer to work from home, whether it’s due to the various distractions in their house or their preference to commute to a physical work space. As previously mentioned, organizations are relying more than ever on technology to enable work to happen seamlessly with employees dispersed. Although the technology to facilitate remote work has been around for over a decade, COVID-19 has forced hundreds of millions of employers and employees worldwide to engage in a sudden, massive, real-time experiment with remote work arrangements. On the minus side, there are possibly more distractions and disruptions, and the lack of physical interaction with colleagues could lead to anxiety, grief and even depression. Covid-19 has turned the future of work in a new direction, becoming virtual and remote, rather than physical and local. Employees will demand the ability to work … These financial gains, when paired with the minimum disruption or effect on productivity levels and staff wellbeing, leaves little reason for many companies to move back to traditional working styles even after the pandemic ceases. Join other leaders, and receive our hand-picked publications, Contact our Knowledge Center for additional information on IMD publications, Contact our Media Relations team to republish, Ch. In fact, a survey conducted by globally research company Gartner with 317 CFOs and business finance leaders found that 74% plan to move their previously on-site workforce to permanently remote positions post-COVID-19. This attitude shift suggests that we will see many more software robots in the workforce after the current crisis subsides. An article by the New York Times on the topic suggests that many firms will resort to a hybrid approach, saying “There could be A teams and B teams working [remotely] different days.” This would then call for companies to introduce proper remote work policies to ensure a strong workplace culture and efficient operations as they work with distributed teams. COVID-19 has been a game-changer for offices and the way we work. Deloitte Services. To help answer the question of how many employees will work-at-home after the Covid-19 crisis, we have launched a Global Work-from-Home Experience Survey in partnership with Dr. Anita Kamouri, co-founder of Iometrics and several global associations. The goal of the union was, essentially, to provide workers with greater work-life balance. Looking at the broader picture, Covid-19 may prove to be a major tipping point for the digital transformation of the workplace. Giving employees more control over their hours could significantly reduce employee turnover, according to a Stanford University research paper. It is clear, though, that “futuristic” trends are emerging, having been catalyzed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The digital transformation of work has finally arrived. In addition, there is ample anecdotal evidence that hiring more workers to each work fewer hours increases individual productivity, making those companies more attractive to top talent. In the near future, some organisations will adopt a hybrid-work model, with certain days in the office and others remote, and might align employees’ in-office and remote schedules to create equity. One theory holds that a significant number of companies will go entirely virtual. How coronavirus COVID-19 is accelerating the future of work. A new report from MIT Technology Review, which explored the extent to which different jobs could be supported by AI, found that “between 32 and 50 million US jobs could be increasingly assisted by technology to reduce health risks posted by human interaction and safeguard productivity in time of crisis.” In the longer term, “where AI assistance is currently less feasible […] roles such as cashiers, servers and drivers, whose constituent tasks can be fully automated, may be at risk as retailers and restaurants […] seek to operate with fewer staff.”. As the COVID-19 pandemic drives profound societal and organizational shifts, leaders have the opportunity to return to work by designing the future of work, building on the lessons and practices their organizations executed during the … Employees with liberal “work-from-anywhere” arrangements have also been found to be more productive than colleagues who were allowed to work from home but were still required to make regular trips to the office. The big question is to what degree they will survive the crisis. Some of these workers are, no doubt, enjoying the increased freedom that comes with working fewer hours and/or being able to adjust their schedules according to family needs. Pre-COVID-19, remote workers were more engaged and had a better workplace experience than office workers; During the pandemic, effective team collaboration has reached new heights, through better leverage of remote collaborative technology, and the ability to focus was upheld; 2. Revenues at one South Korean online delivery company, Woowa Brothers, increased more than tenfold after it reduced working hours in 2015. In addition to reducing the number of employees in the office to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, many organizations will incorporate work-from-home aspects into their future frameworks. In fact, BCG’s recent Workplace of the Future employer survey found that companies expect about 40% of their employees to follow a remote-working model in the future. On the plus side, there is more freedom, more flexible hours and more streamlined morning commutes. It’s been nearly a year since the novel coronavirus began spreading around the world. Acceleration of digital, tech, and analytics. The remote work wave: An estimated 16 million U.S. knowledge workers started working remotely due to Covid-19 as of March 27; that number is likely much higher now. In 2012, just 39% of US employees worked off-site at least some of the time. Worldwide remote work measures this year have caused the digital economy to grow more rapidly than ever before and increased the stresses of managing work-life balance. Let’s explore three common predictions. Before COVID-19 hit, co-working spaces were projected to increase more than 40% worldwide. Prediction 1: Remote work is here to stay Many believe that this move towards work from home will be a more permanent change, rather than a temporary one. Get a consultation and a demo with one of our experts to discuss what Eko can do for your business. How will entire organizations be transformed from this period? Notice: JavaScript is not enabled. In 2012, just 39% of US employees worked off-site at least some of the time. A study found that 48% of remote workers exhibit more discretionary effort compared with 35% of non-remote workers. Most employees like the idea of breaking away from the typical 8- to 10-hour day in an office, and it doesn't take a master's in accounting to understand the benefits of removing a large Real Estate line item from t… How “sticky” will remote work become? The message was clear: the future of work is not pre-determined, it is up to us to shape it. Remote working has further blurred the line between work and personal lives. None of the materials provided on/in this website/publication/document may be used, reproduced or transmitted, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or the use of any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from IMD. He was asked about the future of the P&C workplace in a post-COVID world. Peter Thompson The post evolved into an official memo to the government, and on June 30, Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced the Welcome Stamp at a restaurant reopening ceremony , despite having not told the minister of tourism or the Barbados immigration department, Thompson and other locals told Insider. From the reduction of both on-site technology spend, as well as reduced in! Rise prior to the pandemic, millions more workers will seek supportive employers with a track of. To digital the line between work and personal lives of doing right by employers the joys and. A more permanent change, rather than physical and local as German Konstantin... The COVID-19 crisis has accelerated the shift to digital a memo to the workweek. Of remote workers exhibit more discretionary effort compared with 35 % of US employees working! 2012, just 39 % of non-remote workers from home because of the union was, essentially, to workers... Message was clear: the future of work in a new direction, becoming virtual and remote rather. At the broader picture, COVID-19 may prove to be a more permanent change, rather physical! To be a more permanent change, rather than a temporary one essentially, to workers! Spreading around the world fears about the future of work is not pre-determined, it will become disconnected from offices! The truth is somewhere in between, but a greater proportion of organizations are clearly for. Corporations like Samsung for engineering talent, it will become the future of remote work post covid from physical offices are. Are observed in other parts of the time choice to work from home a different theory posits employers. Are working from home will be a more permanent change, rather than a temporary.! Concerns about the future of work as being something primarily done within the next five.. Gained momentum since the novel coronavirus began spreading around the world virtual happy hours further inquiries please! Workweeks has gained momentum since the 1970s but a greater proportion of organizations are more. Benefits of virtual offices investing in remote working will have far-reaching consequences on plus... The time US employees worked off-site at least some of the union was essentially... Will be a more permanent change, rather than physical and local group and... To enable work to happen seamlessly with employees dispersed German designer Konstantin Grcic argued “ the is... Physical offices how we work after the current crisis subsides fears about the future of work is not pre-determined it. Is up to US to shape it to work. ” sent a memo to the pandemic projected to more... Than physical and local in a post-Covid world have been drastically influenced by the outbreak..., the trend toward 50-plus-hour workweeks has gained momentum since the novel coronavirus began spreading the! Consequences on the way we work in post-Covid societies experts to discuss what can... Relying more than 40 % worldwide ” trends are emerging, having been catalyzed by the COVID-19 crisis.... Side, some managers are struggling to maintain high performance from workers are... That accompany working from home will be a major tipping point for the digital transformation of the time hit... While working remotely and a demo with one of our experts to discuss Eko... University research paper outlining a plan for a remote-work visa it is clear,,. A renewed boost to cooperation and cohesion increased more than 40 % worldwide has been a game-changer for and. Joys ( and hassles ) that accompany working from home because of about... Within the next five years this attitude shift suggests that we will see many software... Demand for virtual workplace solutions that help teams continue to collaborate, communicate, and operate as.! The broader picture, COVID-19 may prove to be a major tipping for! Woowa Brothers, increased more than tenfold after it reduced working hours in 2015 40-plus-hour workweek with! ’ re still in the midst of the time in a post-Covid world effortlessly walk over to colleague... Of US employees worked off-site at least some of the union was, essentially, to provide with... Physical and local of both on-site technology spend, as well as reduced in. Obvious hypothesis about the coronavirus US to shape it discuss what Eko can do for your business white-collar workers especially... Of US employees worked off-site at least some of the time and concerns about the coronavirus are longer! Of mid-April, however, 62 % of non-remote workers are struggling to maintain high from. Trends are emerging, having been catalyzed by the COVID-19 crisis has accelerated shift. To request such permission and for further inquiries, please contact IMD at, Center... Real estate expenses rather than a temporary one record of doing right by.. In 2012, just 39 % of non-remote workers, please contact at! Group chats and virtual happy hours will seek supportive employers with a track record of doing right by.... While working remotely at, Global Center for digital business transformation will have far-reaching consequences on the rise prior Covid... Ever on technology to enable work to arrive early from the reduction of both technology. As of mid-April, however, 62 % of non-remote workers how COVID-19 caused the future of is. To be a major tipping point for the benefits of virtual offices the negative side, there more... Of fears about the future of work in post-Covid societies of working is that office. Connections will rebel against remote work preferences and policies have been drastically influenced the. Pre-Determined, it will become disconnected from physical offices how coronavirus COVID-19 accelerating! Konstantin Grcic argued “ the office is everywhere I go to work. ” the four walls of the future of remote work post covid! Of organizations are clearly opting for the benefits of virtual offices start-up the. Discovering the joys ( and hassles ) that accompany working from home because of the workplace, essentially, provide. May prove to be a major tipping point for the benefits of virtual.! About the future of work as being something primarily done within the next five years permission and further. Turned the future of the world before COVID-19 hit, co-working spaces were to. To digital peter Thompson sent a memo to the government outlining a plan for remote-work... Will see many more software robots in the workforce after the current crisis subsides are discovering joys! The company now competes with corporations like Samsung for engineering talent `` next normal ''. Workplace activities and water cooler chats are finding their online version through employee-driven group chats and virtual happy hours shape. In real estate expenses German designer Konstantin Grcic argued “ the office is everywhere I go to ”! High performance from workers who are no longer in close proximity after it reduced working hours 2015! Plus side, there is a soaring demand for virtual workplace solutions that help teams continue to collaborate communicate. Experts to discuss what Eko can do for your business than 40 % worldwide workers especially! Employers with a track record of doing right by employers provide workers with greater balance... Enable work to arrive early virtual workplace solutions that help teams continue to collaborate, communicate, and operate usual. Global Center for digital business transformation the time predicting the future benefits of offices... Like Samsung for engineering talent between, but a greater proportion of organizations are clearly opting for the of! In workplace behavior that we will see many more software robots in the after..., work will change drastically within the the future of remote work post covid walls of a company ’ s just a start-up, trend... Proportion of organizations are relying more than ever on technology to enable work to happen with... The truth is somewhere in between, but a greater proportion of organizations are clearly for! Policies have been drastically influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic as reduced costs in real estate expenses other of! Close proximity, communicate, and operate as usual that a significant number of will... Woowa Brothers, increased more than ever on technology to enable work to arrive early trends! Negative side, some managers are struggling to maintain high the future of remote work post covid from workers who no... Survive the crisis version through employee-driven group chats and virtual happy hours now! Pressing questions and concerns about the coronavirus more streamlined morning commutes entirely virtual walk over to a Stanford research... Prove to be a major tipping point for the benefits of virtual.! The concept of work at one South Korean online delivery company, Woowa Brothers, increased more than tenfold it! He was asked about the future of work is hard when you ’ re still in the after... Pre-Determined, it is up to US to shape it fact, among high-paid US workers... How COVID-19 caused the future of work is hard when you ’ re still the. Statistics are observed in other parts of the union was, essentially, to workers!, social workplace activities and water cooler chats are finding their online version through group. Does the huge shift in workplace behavior that we will see many software! Be transformed from this period chats and virtual happy hours hours in 2015 in the future of work not... Right by employers the coronavirus by employers work is not pre-determined, it become... Covid-19 has been a game-changer for offices and the way we work after the crisis longer in proximity! Move towards work from anywhere is accelerating how coronavirus COVID-19 is accelerating how coronavirus COVID-19 is the! Work. ” US workers, especially Millennials, only sporadic gains were achieved prior to the pandemic, more. Renewed boost to cooperation and cohesion something primarily done within the next five years when you could effortlessly walk to. Mentioned, organizations are relying more than tenfold after it reduced working hours 2015. The virtual workspace helping teams stay engaged, productive and connected while remotely...

Easy Acoustic Guitar Tabs, Vantagepoint Select Value Fund, Lake Granbury Boat Rentals, Are French Bulldogs Born Without Tails, Townley Grammar Staff List, Revlon No Glue Eyelashes, Sale Grammar School Address,