The Covid-19 pandemic has shown employees across the globe the benefits of remote working, forcing organizations to rethink their office strategies.
This is according to a new report from HR and payroll specialist SD Worx, based on a poll of 5,000 employees from five different European countries.
According to the report, health in the workplace will be a major concern; more than half (57.7 percent) of employers have started or are planning welfare and health initiatives. They will be looking to control maximum office occupancy, which may require new floor plans and additional protective equipment.
Furthermore, they will have to consider creating spaces for secure meetings. Face-to-face meetings need to “promote creativity, strengthen relationships and foster greater cooperation”, the report claims, adding that this needs to happen in Covid-safe spaces, with lots of ventilation, space and impeccable hygiene.
Businesses will also look to digitize the office as much as possible. Most have already started digitizing human resource management, mostly to improve efficiency and productivity, but also to track “important pieces of people data for wellbeing”.
Remote and hybrid working may become the norm in the near future. Today, less than half of people (49.3 percent) expect to return to the office full-time and just under half (45.1 percent) are planning to regularly work from home, up from 17.9 percent before Covid-19.
“Flexibility is what will make work a success in the future. While some will relish the opportunity to spend time back in the workplace, re-connecting with colleagues, many will enjoy some of their newfound flexibility and look forward to a life with less time spent commuting,” said Colette Philp, UK HR Country Lead at SD Worx.
“It’s time for businesses to rethink how work is done, treating employees as individuals and respecting their different needs creates a strong culture and sense of engagement to get the best out of everybody.”