The coronavirus pandemic has been quick and hard-hitting, and drastic changes have been made in such a short period to combat it.  As tragic as this Covid-19 pandemic has been, there are multiple things that can be learned from it.  As everyone is obviously aware of by now, basically everything that can take place virtually has been moved online.  Unless absolutely necessary, there have been almost no in-person interactions.  As a result, I think that these changes, although originally temporary, will result in a massive change in the workplace after coronavirus has been eradicated. 

With the amount of money and time dedicated to developing technology to allow for work at home, I think that many jobs in the future will allow for much more work to be completed remotely.  Most companies, pre-coronavirus, were most likely highly skeptical about working from home, whether it be the technology itself or the resulting motivation and productivity of their workers.  However, coronavirus did not take these worries into consideration, and most companies were still forced to transition to virtual work.  And, these past months have proven that remote work is possible for extended periods of time.  If someone feels they might be sick, I think it will be a lot more acceptable for them to stay away from the office and work at home.  A Gallup survey of managers reported “a slight majority (52%) say they will allow their employees to work remotely more often as a result of this experience.” (Harter, 2020)  Although teleconferences are not new, they have shown to be efficient and cost-effective.  According to Carl Muller, a partner at the law firm Tucker Ellis LLP, employers are asking themselves, “Can we reduce our company’s brick-and-mortar footprint once we return to normal and thereby reduce our operating expenses going forward?” (Duncan, 2020) The technology has proven reliable, so there will most likely be a decrease of, but not complete termination of, in-person meetings. 

I also think that there will be a massive reform of sanitization in the workplace.  A survey by YouGov earlier this year reported that about 40% of adults do not always wash their hands with soap after going to the bathroom (Ballard, 2020).  As if the spread of the coronavirus is not enough reminder for people to wash their hands, many offices will most likely display signs to emphasize its importance.  Also, Aaron Hotfelder, from the University of Missouri School of Law, writes that many companies will devise a plan that includes “maintaining a stock of protective equipment on site, such as gloves, facemasks, and hand sanitizer” (Hotfelder, 2020).  Many companies were not adequately prepared for an outbreak like Covid-19 since it was unprecedented, but that will definitely change in the future.   

Although this change will be more so behind the scenes, I also think that the IT staff at the companies will become much more vital to the company’s success.  As I had mentioned above, I believe that both working from home and virtual meetings will become a lot more mainstream.  As a result, there will be an elevated need for security to remain up to date, to reduce (and hopefully eliminate) the chance of any hacking.  Matt Hughes, Apex Director of Technology, said “Employers will need a strong IT staff to support both in- and out-of-office employees. New policies will also have to be written and maintained as the infrastructure changes.”  (Apex Benefits, 2020)  This shows that as companies adapt to be more suitable online, IT departments will also have to change and adapt.

The coronavirus pandemic has not been desirable for anyone.  As a result of the rapidly changing work environment, many permanent alterations are likely to occur in the future workplace.  There will be more working remotely and virtual meetings, there will be more sanitary measures to help prevent another outbreak, and the roles of the technology departments will become more crucial and important.

Ballard, J. (2020, January 30). 40% of Americans don’t always wash their hands after going to the bathroom. Retrieved from https://today.yougov.com/topics/lifestyle/articles-reports/2020/01/30/hand-washing-soap-poll-survey

Duncan, E. (n.d.). 4 Ways COVID-19 Will Change Workplaces Forever. Retrieved from https://www.law360.com/articles/1264812/4-ways-covid-19-will-change-workplaces-forever

Harter, J. (2020, May 1). How Coronavirus Will Change the ‘Next Normal’ Workplace. Retrieved from https://www.gallup.com/workplace/309620/coronavirus-change-next-normal-workplace.aspx

Hotfelder, A. (2020, April 2). The Post-COVID Workplace: How Will Work Change After the Coronavirus? Retrieved from https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/the-post-covid-workplace-how-will-work-change-after-the-coronavirus.html

How Will The Workplace Change After COVID-19? (2020, April 20). Retrieved from https://apexbg.com/how-will-the-workplace-change-after-covid-19/