As the world takes stock and recovery begins from the year that everyone would like to forget, 2020, the question on everyone’s lips is “What should be the new normal?”
A luxury previously offered to mainly those in tech based or very senior roles, COVID-19 has presented many with the opportunity to work remotely. And while many businesses will encourage their workforce to return back to the office post pandemic, it is unlikely work life will return to the way it was pre-pandemic.
Global Workplace Analytics predicts that by the end of 2021, 25-30% of the workforce will be working from home multiple days of the week. And for many good reasons:
- Demand for work-from-home from employees has been increasing over the past decade as employees seek work flexibility in where they work from and when. Employers who offer flexibility are better at retaining top talent. And if we are to encourage greater workplace diversity, flexibility must be on the table.
- Cost saving opportunities of allowing employees to work from home have been given more awareness by the pandemic.
- Disaster preparedness will be high on agendas for many businesses and their investors
- Positive impact on our environment by cutting down daily commutes and business travel. The European Environment Agency (EEA) reported the largest reductions in greenhouse gases of up to 70 percent was seen in urban centres most affected by COVID-19.
The average daily commute time in the UK is almost an hour, almost always unpaid and often spent sardined between fellow commuters. Since the pandemic has forced us to WFH, 3 in 5 of us have used this extra time to redecorate and refurbish our homes, and 1 in 4 of all working adults in the UK admit to having an active side hustle.
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