#WorkfromHome and the new normal

#workfromhome #WFH #thenewnormal

The COVID 19 pandemic that engulfed our world like a massive cyclone, once again proved how small we are or our technological supremacy is vis-à-vis the forces of nature. While the clarion call for combating climate change and promoting sustainable living were not enough, a microscopic virus brought us to our knees, demonstrating the price we had to pay for ignoring our planet for so long.

According to a recent study conducted, it is estimated that a whopping 42% (1) of people in the USA are working from home to combat COVID 19. Another study suggested that 67% of the companies prefer their employees to permanently work from home. It is believed that long term work from home will be a win-win situation for both the employees and the employers. The employers can cut down on electricity, other operational bills and also help in saving the carbon footprint by reducing mundane travel. The employees on the other hand have the flexibility (more feasible for some industries over others), save on commute time and spend time with family as well as invest more time in hobbies and health. Everyone seems to be talking about work-life balance these days, and there’s no better way to improve the work-life balance of your employees than to let them work from home. For employers, keeping their employees motivated, and productive is paramount.

You can be connected to the office every minute of every day if you want to, thanks to the Internet. The concept of working from home might have seemed outlandish few years ago, but now it’s a reality. You can find access to wifi almost anywhere, and various tools like Skype and others are available to make remote communication smooth. Another advantage is you can hire the best, no matter where they are.

The demand for flexi workspaces including co-working offices and serviced workspaces – is growing faster in Asia Pacific than anywhere rest of the world. In India, the growth of flexible office space is expected to grow at 40%-50% this year, showed a JLL India report. By the end of the year, flexible workplaces in India are expected to attract investment up to $400 million.

This means that there will be a huge demand for design and construction of such work spaces which will need a specialist team of building engineers to design and build areas which can suit the needs of such population. Global specialists in these kind of construction have a good opportunity to spread their wings and benefit from this COVID generated demand.

In due to course of time there is a huge possibility that a large percentage of the population that chooses to work from home could actually opt to work from home. They may not go to a co-working space instead the regular office but may choose to work from the comfort of their own houses. To address the same and to design office homes, it would require a special understanding of building engineering to build homes that offer the comforts of the homes and yet offer the professionalism like a regular office. Designing home cum office space for maximum productivity is one key part of developing and maintaining a productive home working routine. There could be a need for temporary structures in the homes that could be molded or done away with as per the requirement. Work from Home could change the dynamics of how the world works and it could change the way how buildings are seen as commercial and residential. There could be a possibility of a hybrid between the two and that can open up a world of possibility for the building engineering companies and professionals.

The global pandemic will definitely have its impact and implications. In a post-COVID era, the dynamics of office culture will be changed completely. Also, work-from-home due to the lockdowns has helped to bust some myths, cleared many scepticisms against remote working and changed the work style completely. Hope, the new normal will be adaptive & productive for all.

Twitter @Probasibangali