COVID 5 Years Later: Impact on the Workplace
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on American workplaces, reshaping where we work, how we do our jobs, and employee priorities. According to Glassdoor's Lead Economist, Daniel Zhao, "there's more flexibility in today's workplace, whether that means remote or hybrid options."
Once uncommon, remote work has become the norm. When the pandemic struck in 2020, offices quickly adapted to allow employees to work from home, forever altering how business operate. However, not everyone believes this shift should be permanent. C-E-O and founder of Vox Funding, Adam Benowitz argues it's time to return to in-person work, saying, "I think everyone benefits from in-person work and coming in and collaborating. Decision making is more is quicker. Friendships are made; bonds are formed that are hard to form when everybody's working in their house." Benowitz, is not alone in his belief that over the next five years, businesses will return to a pre-pandemic work model. Major companies like Amazon, Google, and Apple are already requiring employees to return to the office. Benowitz adds, "People are, by and large, realizing the that people need to be together. And we're moving back toward that.... I think you're going to see more things like four-day weeks with a little flextime."
But not everyone agrees with this perspective. Zhao believes remote work is here to stay, noting, "It's just an important reminder that even though there might be some big companies that are making changes, a lot of Americans are employed at small to medium businesses, and there's a lot of experimentation from those smaller and medium sized businesses where they might get more benefit from being able to hire all the way across the country."
What both sides do agree on is that the future of work is likely to be hybrid. In 2021 and 2022, we experienced "The Great Resignation." Coming out of that, offices began prioritizing overall well-being. And, both employee and employer are focusing on work-life balance. As Zhao observes, "There's certainly more awareness now about the power and possibility of flexibility in the workplace. That also means flexibility around hours and allowing workers to pop out of the office early if they need to go pick up their kids."
This shift is especially beneficial for younger Americans. In 2024, 84% of millennials and 74% of Gen Z expressed a desire for more remote work options. Still, some, like Benowitz, believe working in an office is more valuable, "Those are the generations that need it the most, that are on their way up there trying to learn. Learn new skills, learn who they are, make new friendships think we are cheating those younger generations if we're not bringing them into the office and they'll regret it later."
While hybrid schedules offer numerous benefits, such as eliminating the commute, reducing stress, and providing more time at home. Companies also benefit by downsizing office space and tapping into a broader talent pool.
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