How COVID-19 Has Impacted the View on “Work from Home”

This pandemic has changed the way we live, and not just temporarily. COVID-19 has had a major impact on many aspects of our world, especially our businesses. The novel coronavirus forced many organizations to shift to remote work virtually overnight. This propelled a massive transformation in the way we work, and impacted the way we view working from home. Over the course of the pandemic attitudes have shifted, and many businesses and employees now hope to continue working remotely. If not, a Gallup survey shows that 54% of U.S. workers would leave their current job to work for a company that allows them to work remotely.

In the past, not all companies were comfortable with letting their employees clock in from their living rooms. In 2019, less than 4% of the US workforce was working from home. But, according to a study by getabstract, in April 2020, “the percentage of Americans working from home had climbed to about 50%.” The study surveyed over 1,200 full-time employees working from home during COVID-19.

According to the getabstract survey, when “Asked about whether they would like to go back to their pre-COVID-19 work arrangement, 43% of respondents said they would like to work remotely more of the time going forward, while 35% indicated that they would like to go back to their former schedule. Only 12% said the experience of being sequestered at home is making them want to spend more time in an office environment.”

But will employers feel the same way? Policy shifts are being discussed at many companies, and workers are hoping they will continue to be given telecommuting options. In the past, many organizations that did not allow workers to telecommute were operating out of fear. To have your team out of sight, working from home, was unfamiliar and potentially risky. But, now many companies have seen that their employees not only can handle at home work, but are thriving. Some businesses have actually seen an increase in productivity. As this continues, it is likely that the management sentiment toward a work from home environment may shift permanently.

Another reason the view on working from home has shifted during COVID-19 is profit. Throughout the pandemic, it became obvious to businesses that they could save significant money if they weren’t paying for real estate. Corporate offices are expensive, and having employees work from home could pay off. At some companies where it isn’t realistic for every team member to telecommute, management is considering adjusting the amount of employees who work in-office. Some may shift to a partial work from home model, with team members working from home half the time.

Time will tell, but one thing we know for sure is that employees are highly valuing flexibility. They will want to be given the choice of where they work. Not everyone wants to work from home - there are some employees who miss their in-person experiences. For management, the key will be to increase flexibility to provide whatever environment drives the most productivity. Eyal Gutentag

Eyal Gutentag - Streets of Tel Aviv during Covid 19 lockdown

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Eyal Gutentag on How COVID-19 Has Impacted the View on “Work from Home”