A lot has changed since the world came to a halt last March, particularly for the modern workplace. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees began working remotely, and several businesses, including major companies such as Twitter and Amazon, announced permanent changes to their structure including a long-term remote workforce. Now, one year later, the effects of the pandemic continue to impact those both in and out of the traditional office environment. With that, we’ve compiled three major changes that we can expect to become lasting trends in the workplace moving forward.
Flexible Work Weeks
Prioritizing work-life balance has always been important, but the pandemic amplified conversations surrounding this topic. With many employees now working from their homes, it is critical that companies provide the flexibility employees need to unplug and step away from work duties. To accommodate this, we can expect that employers will move away from the traditional 9-to-5 work week to provide more freedom to employees within the blurred lines of working from home.
Emphasis on Mental Well-Being
It’s no secret that 2020 was an incredibly stressful year. In response, a necessary focus on mental health emerged, and this focus will continue to be important for employers moving forward. Because of this, we can expect to see an increase in support for mental health programs, including paid ‘mental health’ days, educational training and resources, and more.
An Emphasis on Diversity
The call to diversify employee populations has never been louder, and employees and investors are holding companies accountable on their promise to prioritize DEI initiatives. With many companies remaining remote, a candidate’s location no longer matters, meaning that employers can recruit diverse, qualified talent throughout the country. With that, we can expect to see companies expanding their horizons to employ more remote candidates due to their qualifications and not just their geographical location.
Reflecting on the last year, it is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has served as a catalyst for lasting change to the traditional work environment. To learn more about the solutions that Work Shield provides for the ever-evolving workplace, please contact us here.
About Jared Pope
Jared is Founder and CEO of Work Shield, the only start-to-finish workplace harassment and discrimination reporting, investigation and resolution solution that protects employees, employers and cultures at the same time. Jared practiced law and ran a practice focused on human resources, ERISA, benefits and employment matters for over 15 years and is a knowledgeable resource on workplace culture and harassment and discrimination issues.
Connect with him on LinkedIn.
