Amidst the world-changing events of the last two years, it seems likely that one of the biggest long-term impacts of the COVID crisis will ultimately be the changes it’s unleashed and continues to unleash on the workplace. No matter how anyone feels about working remotely or how well businesses are responding to these unprecedented shifts, one thing seems virtually certain — the culture of modern work has been irrevocably changed.
And the numbers don’t lie. Studies found worker performance was up 13 percent when they worked from home. Employees who worked from home at least a few times a month showed productivity up 77 percent. Through difficulties of all shapes and sizes, even nearly 3 out of every 4 executives said remote work has been a success.
But while everyone is relieved work productivity didn’t fall off a cliff during the crisis, the driving force powering the continuing office shift in this semi-post-COVID world really doesn’t have anything to do with work. By the millions, workers spent 2020 working remotely, they really liked it, and they’re in no hurry to go back to how things used to be.
That leaves employers in a decidedly uncomfortable position. If your company can’t run effectively in a remote-only environment, how do you make the office an appealing, even happy place for employees to spend their days?
It’s going to take some work. And there is no magic bullet answer. But for anxious business owners and managers, there are some impactful steps they can take to reverse the hate and get people excited to go back to the office again.
Employers, listen up…
As much as 95 percent of the current workforce is thinking about changing jobs. So, if employees don’t have to be in your office five days a week to do their job well, how do you make your office a place they want to be in?
First and foremost, it begins with employers doing much more than paying lip service to help each employee fashion the work-life balance that works for them. If a manager respects the talents and contributions of a given worker, in many cases, that could even mean the work will take a decided backseat to life concerns.
Of course, everybody realizes the work still needs to get done and done well. But when productivity and the quality of an employee’s output are judged rather than the number of hours they put in, possibilities start to emerge. If the job doesn’t require 40 hours a week on the premises, then maybe a remote schedule makes sense. Or maybe business hours turn into employee hours, allowing someone to work early mornings, evenings, or even overnights to accommodate everyone’s needs.
Meanwhile, if an employee or many employees do have to be in the office, even if it’s only for as little as one day a week, then optimizing the workplace for a new hybrid office setup might just be the ticket to a happy work environment for everyone.
A hybrid office space, offering workers the flexibility of splitting time between home and the office each week, can be a perfect compromise to meet all needs. That is, assuming employees can craft the logistics and communications to keep any in-house employees in contact with their remote co-workers.
Consider the hybrid office
Fortunately, a beleaguered business doesn’t have to fashion the modern workplace completely on its own. Autonomous, a California tech company offers a solution to go hybrid, the AutonomousOS . In fact, services like AutonomousOS is built especially for the office of the future, allowing a manager to not only better assess their resources and ensure every employee has what they need to succeed, but also rent all smart tools they need to transform their office to a successful hybrid work model. The AutonomousOS platform lets users drag and drop objects into a fully optimized office layout, assigning permanent spaces to workers who are on-site every day while splitting “hot desks” between those semi-remote employees.
AutonomousOS app lets users drag and drop objects into a fully optimized office layout, assigning permanent spaces to workers who are on-site every day while splitting “hot desks” between those semi-remote employees.
Workers in an AutonomousOS office have flexibility as well as the software necessary to book the space and tools they need on a real-time map. If they need a desk, a conference room, and tech for a group video call, AutonomousOS can make sure they’ve got all those pieces available. It’ll even keep track of who’s working where on a given day, so everyone can plan with everyone else’s schedules in mind.
Meanwhile, Autonomous even goes a step further, offering a full range of stylish, minimalist, ergonomic, and fully-functional wholesale office furniture that can help office hours go by a lot more comfortably. Their collection includes smart meeting rooms, a complete array of desks, including both standing and smart varieties, as well as a full suite of office chair options, each designed to keep employees from the aches and pains of crummy old reject office furniture.
Right now, business owners can visit Autonomous website and book a call to get some insight on how they can simplify their office’s organizational needs. Autonomous can offer a 1-year free trial on its services or an exclusive discount, depending on how Autonomous can best help each business tackle its hybrid needs.
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