COVID-19 has reshaped the way we do work. With vaccinations readily available to Louisiana residents, things are constantly changing. But all this talk about going “back to normal” should rather be about going to an “improved normal” - in other words, instead of reverting to the way we did things before, we should instead adopt the successful lessons and practices we learned from quarantining/staying at home to pursue more efficient ways of work. In her Ted Talk, Patty McCord discusses how the shift in work life due to the pandemic has forced us to seek out alternatives that have been beneficial:
People must intentionally set appointments to discuss matters, improving communication
Hours are more flexible
Location independence
Time and money are saved on cutting out commute
Less environmental damage with lack of gas consumption and CO2 emissions
Special needs are accommodated
Connection to dispersed people
While the benefits of remote working are clear, the challenges should also be considered:
Managing distractions and interruptions
Feeling isolation from coworkers
Technology issues and security risks
Time zone differences
Each business or organization has its own, unique model of what works best for them. A complete work-from-home may not be the answer for everyone, but some good can be done by breaking through traditional forms of management and operations.
Sources:
https://www.wrike.com/remote-work-guide/
https://earth.stanford.edu/news/covid-lockdown-causes-record-drop-carbon-emissions-2020#gs.1wj0vz