Death of the Office

There’s no question that the coronavirus pandemic has affected economies terribly as unemployment rates have soared.

In spite of this situation, some employees have been lucky enough to keep their jobs, though many of them have experienced a big transition: the sudden shift from office work to remote work.

Due to social distancing requirements, many office-based employees are now telecommuting—some for the first time ever.

Teleconferencing services like Zoom and communication platforms like Slack have become the “new normal” as companies try to stay afloat through this crisis.

Even after the pandemic, there will undoubtedly be some changes in office-related work. One big reason is money.

A major effect of COVID-19 is a recession. To continue operating, corporations will need to cut costs. One way to do this is by downsizing to smaller office spaces, or abandoning central office locations completely. Why pay high rent costs when employees can do their jobs from home?

But what happens if an employee doesn’t have the proper internet connection to work from home effectively? Or what if an in-person meeting is necessary?

That’s where shared workspaces come in!

A shared workspace is a pay-as-you-go office space which can be rented by anyone who doesn’t have a central office location. As the number of remote workers and freelancers rises, these spaces are popping up everywhere!

With useful communication tools and workspace rentals available when needed, does anyone really need to return to traditional office life?

Well, in reality, not all companies are prepared for long-term remote work—not yet, anyway. They may not have the right systems set up to operate smoothly.

On top of that, despite its obvious convenience, there are disadvantages to remote work, such as employee isolation and communication challenges: Chatting online just doesn’t replace an in-person conversation.

So, while some team members may remain 100% remote, many more will likely return to office life—but maybe with more flexibility.

Now that companies have seen that work can be completed outside of the office, they might offer more freedom, allowing employees to decide how to split their time between home and the office. This would enable team members to combine the convenience of remote work with the benefits of face-to-face interaction in the office.

What do you think the future of work looks like?