Covid-19 Now and The Question of Work
As Singapore relaxes its Covid-19 restrictions, many of us are going back to the “normalcy” of pre-Covid practices. Yet amidst the return to dearly missed family gatherings and our favourite karaoke sessions, the question of work and how it should be carried out has arisen. The remote working arrangements in place during the peak of Covid-19 has created an alternative to the norm when we had previously thought that working in an office was the only possible way to get things done. Organisations are now faced with the question of the future of work. Let’s examine the key considerations to think about when deciding on working arrangements as pandemic restrictions lift.
1. Efficiency
Efficiency is a key factor that will always be considered when the question of working arrangements come up. While working in an office has traditionally been thought to be the most productive given that distractions appear to be minimal, 2 years of the pandemic has proven that we may be wrong. According to Owl Labs’ 2021 State of Remote Work, 90% of employees reported to have similar or higher levels of productivity when working from home. This could in part be due to a more comfortable, personalised working environment which provided a more conducive environment for workers as well as more flexible hours in which employees could choose when to work.
Traditional 8 to 5 working hours may not be optimal for everyone. Additionally, working remotely removes the need for travel which can be uncomfortable, long and therefore inefficient. Therefore, when considering efficiency, working remotely versus from a physical office may be more similar than we thought.
2. The Human Touch
The pandemic has impacted human interactions most significantly, reducing it to practically zero during its peak when countries went into lockdown. Remote working has taken its toll on employees due to the effects of prolonged isolation. With remote working, gone are the informal and impromptu interactions that happen in the office or in common areas like the lounge. While online meetings for the purpose of interaction can be carried out, the virtual just can’t replicate physical interactions. New employees may also find it difficult to integrate into the company and to get a sensing of the company culture. While working remotely can give people a breather from interactions and some well-deserved alone time, extended periods of isolation can be bad for one’s mental health. A return to the office means that loneliness will become less of a problem and increased interaction among employees will not only boost their mental health but can also help with team morale. The advantage of human interactions in the physical office is likely one of the biggest reasons that many employees are happy to go back to such an arrangement.
3. Work-Life Balance
Working remotely from home comes with the perk of being able to work comfortably from beneath your covers. Less preparation time is required to dress up, get ready to leave, commute and pack up, making switching to work mode much easier than before. However, the blending spaces of work and relaxation has meant that many people in the pandemic have struggled with drawing the line between working and getting off work. A study by Nature Human Behaviour has found that employees working remotely clock in 10% more time than in the office. While this may mean that more work gets done, longer working hours and an inability to “switch off” from work mode and comfortably relax in spaces associated with work may increase stress and take a toll on employee morale.
Between the options of Work-From-Home, hybrid work set-ups and working back in a physical office, there are various factors to consider and pros and cons to be weighed With even Google responding to pressure to allow for remote working arrangements, there is both demand for remote work arrangements to stay and resistance to going back fully to a physical office. Each organisation will have to find its own way to balance the needs of their employees with the pros and cons of each type of working arrangement.
At BCD, we kept our team and clients safe during the height of the pandemic by adapting easily to virtual alternatives. We’re constantly reviewing how to make things work for both our clients and our team to ensure their satisfaction and welfare. At BCD, our focus is YOU.
