We must imagine the work from home of the future

Clarissa Windham-Bradstock, CEO and Chief People Officer of Any Lab test Now, an American healthcare and laboratory testing company, shares her thoughts on the remote work of the future, which must be imagined now.

All telecommuting

Americans (country in which the coronavirus pandemic is still out of control and continues to worsen) will not return to office in the wake of the long-awaited and non existing summer effect on the virus. According to Gallup, the number of Americans telecommuting has increased from 61 to 65% in 3 weeks, and that is not going to change this summer. In a WorldatWork survey 67% of employers were hopping to bring back employee to the office by the end of summer. Some companies are even starting to talk about a comeback next year.

But it doesn’t matter, because today it is clear that teleworking will not completely disappear from our professional world. More than half of those polled say they want to continue this practice “as much as possible” even long after the pandemic has fallen.

“Something my business was prepared to,” according to the Chief People Officer. 75% of employees were already working remotely before March 2020. Our cloud platforms, for example, were already well established to be easy to access from outside. The confinement still led us to reorganize ourselves to ensure the efficiency and fluidity of the means of communication.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of the advantages of teleworking that our employees have listed:

• Improved productivity, with more energy to focus on important tasks
• Less need for office space
• Reduced costs for both employer and employee. No transport costs, fewer meals outside at noon, a cheaper and more pleasant working environment
• A reduction in the carbon footprint, especially on transport, which this time benefits everyone

But above all, it seems obvious that companies that will bet on teleworking in the future will win on 2 fundamental points:

• The possibility of organizing more diverse teams, especially in terms of talent and personality. There is no longer even a geographical limit to recruiting .
• Finally, the possibility of attracting the best talent. Why ? Because we can hire them wherever they are, by removing potential constraints.

The New Challenges

Let’s not be fooled either, this change of life also creates constraints. First, respect between professional and private life. A problem that has complicated the lives of thousands of people (especially in southern countries like Spain). Millennials (those born between the 1980s and the 2000s) and parents see the most benefit in this new way of life. However, many of them have suffered , especially while teaching their toddlers.

According to a survey by the Society for Human Resource Management, 41% of employees have experienced symptoms of burnout. In addition to the feeling that the working day never ends, the lack of exercise and overly rich eating habits increased that impression. 35% say they have depressive disorders. Efficient human resources in these fields will undoubtedly seem necessary.

Time to shape the working conditions of tomorrow

Organisation leaders must prepare the future of teleworking. Can businesses offer home health care? If not, why not start with yoga aids or counseling? Finally, ergonomic equipment for everyone seems essential. Clear communication of objectives is also fundamental. Do not leave employee with a deficit of information and goals to accomplish. This will be the key for a successful teleworking of the future.

Source Forbes