The Future of Work, Then and Now

On October 25, 2019, one of my WORKSPACE predecessors wrote a blog entitled, “What Does the Future of Work Look Like?" In it, she said that “the traditional 9-5 will always exist, and will likely remain the most common workplace model.” That assessment seemed pretty spot on at the time but my how things changed in the span of a couple of months. In the throes of a pandemic, 9-5 was thrown to the curb and WFH went from being taboo to trendy. She went on to say, however, that “now more than ever there are options for professionals to shape their own work model.” Talk about foreshadowing. With terms like "Work from Work Wednesday", "One Zoom All Zoom", and "Office-centric hybrid” becoming common vernacular, two years later there’s nothing traditional about how, when, or where we work.

How we work: I like to call today’s WFH dress code “business casual lite.” Jeans, yoga pants, and sneakers are in. Suits, ties, and high heels are out. When we’re more comfortable we can be more productive…and that doesn’t just apply to what we’re wearing. While the lucky few were already equipped with an in-home office pre-pandemic, most of us found ourselves working at the dining room table or on the couch with the coffee table as a desk. In the short-term, these options seemed comfortable enough, but I suspect many are finding the lack of a home office is hurting not just their productivity but their backs and necks too. 

When we work: Today, the short answer is “whenever.” Not a morning person? Sleep in. The time you used to spend on your long commute can now be used for catching more zzz's. Don’t want to miss your kid’s game after school. Then, by all means, go. Assuming you don’t have a conflict, you can wrap up whatever you’re working on when you get back…or after dinner…or before you go to bed. Taking the requirement to be in the office out of the equation gives us so much more flexibility. Now, when we work, we work largely on our terms.

Where we work: According to the latest Gallup poll, “nearly half of full-time employees in the U.S. (45%) are still working from home to some degree” and their employers plan to keep it that way as “9 in 10 remote workers want to maintain remote in some degree.” For many, working remotely means working from home but, as the reality of this long-term — potentially permanent — scenario sets in, many are starting to seek out local, remote workspaces. 

If you’re looking to get out of the house but want to stay close to home, WORKSPACE offers flexible office solutions for busy professionals in a clean, comfortable, and quiet space to be more productive. Our environment fosters a sense of community where diverse minds and skill-sets interact, build friendships and collaborate.

What does the future of work look like? It looks like WORKSPACE. 

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/355907/remote-work-persisting-trending-permanent.aspx