A CEO's Guide: The Future of the Workplace Post COVID-19

There's no arguing that the COVID-19 has changed the future of the traditional workplace. The pandemic didn't just have an adverse effect on a global economy, but it also changed the way employees value work, family and life balance.

Changes to the Workplace

Companies that survived the shutdown pivoted early. They reduced, renegotiated or eliminated unnecessary fixed expenses. One of the largest fixed expenses were rent. CEOs, managers and IT departments changed the traditional model and adapted to accommodate the "new norm."

Zoom became a verb. Employees lucky enough to have remained gainfully employed experienced what it's like to work remotely. And the balancing-act between work and personal life became manageable, some would argue, much appreciated.

Getting Back to Business

The return to work is looking different for every organization. Local procedures play a part in determining what the journey looks like, but ultimately each company needs to find a unique solution for its people.

Some industries plan for their entire staff to come back to work simultaneously. Other organizations are continuing the remote workstyle first embraced in the wake of COVID-19 outbreaks. Even companies that were remote-first or flexible before the pandemic are reconsidering their long-term re-entry strategy.

Adapting to the New Norm

In a recent Forbes article, Claire McCartney of the CIPD cites, "Concerns remain, though, that a focus on role-based guidelines for the new era of work will allow employers to trumpet hybrid working policies while paying lip service to wider issues of flexibility."

For better or worse, work and life were nearly fully blended during the pandemic. Kim Chan, founder of DocPro.com, says she has adopted a flexible policy about going to the office, even for those in customer-facing roles. "When you give employees the flexibility to take care of their priorities, the team is better for it. Except for urgent tasks, it is still good to give flexibility to people. They tend to work better in relation to creative works since they have time to think about it."

The Future of the Workplace

Most office return plans will fall into one of three camps:

1. A full-time return to the physical office for all;
2. A flexible, hybrid approach with some employees in-office and some working from home;
3. A fully-remote approach with few (if any) in-office hours.

Whichever strategy you adopt in this new post-COVID era, you have choices and Port Workspaces can help you reach those goals. Choose the workspace that meets your needs. We offer a wide variety of solutions that can accommodate from 1-100 employees, all without long-term commitments. 

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