How the Pandemic has Changed Business
Remote Work Now Normal
At the start of the pandemic many in the banking and finance industry were forced into a remote work situation that could have stalled productivity or otherwise negatively effected how businesses were run. Instead, many workers thrived under the changes.
“This has led to a sudden change in working culture,” said Richard Jeffery, Active Operations Management International LLP. ”Initially, there were industry wide expectations that the pandemic would damage productivity…We can report that there was no significant decrease in productivity in knowledge-based organisations.”
This is leading to a demand by workers for a permanent remote work or hybrid work solution.
Businesses Prioritize Well-being
According to recent studies most employees (76%) are looking for flexibility in where they work and a staggering 93% want flexibility in when they work. The struggle now becomes how big businesses can accommodate these needs while still serving their customer base. At the same time, most now realize that COVID and its variants will likely never leave the business landscape, which could entail more lockdowns and other safety measures.
“There will always be the need for flexibility and employee safety within the workplace,” said Jeffery. ”Some businesses are delaying the commitment to flexible working patterns. Others are embracing it. Some will see the benefits of asking workers to come back full time because business cannot pause.”
Businesses Must Find Balance
That isn’t to say that businesses must automatically give each employee their preference. Instead, they must look to what the right balance is for their specific institution.
“It may feel like the ultimate challenge but it is far from impossible,” said Jeffery. ”Workforce intelligence can be that essential bridge between managers and teams, especially where business leaders are concerned about the impact remote working could have on collaboration and creativity. Suppose you have the right system in place to support both workforce and management through a simple dashboard that offer immediate solutions to productivity as issues arise. In that case, where the introduce a hybrid solution or return staff to the office full time can be answered to suit everyone.”
