Has your workplace changed since the COVID-19 pandemic?
It can be argued that the COVID-19 pandemic was a locomotive of change when it comes to the way we view work and how much of our time is actually spent in the workplace.
Whilst the pandemic permanently altered many facets of modern life, one of the most profound shifts has certainly been in the way we work.
In the UK, as in much of the world, the pandemic acted as a catalyst for workplace transformation.
Rapid adaptation was the name of the game. Company management teams came up with innovative practices to remain afloat and, in some cases, even thrive. This, in turn, has led to a lasting change in cultural attitudes towards work and work life.
What began as a public health necessity has since evolved into a broader re-imagining of the work landscape. And, depending on the sector you are operating in, you could now be working in a landscape that represents a complete shift from pre-pandemic days.
As the virus spread throughout 2020, let’s take a look at how we have changed the way we work and how our views on work have changed five years on.
The Acceleration of Remote Work Since Covıd-19
Five years on, it can be strange to think that before the pandemic, remote work in the UK was relatively uncommon.
According to data from the ONS (Office for National Statistics), only around 5 per cent of the workforce was working mainly from home in 2019. However, as lockdowns were imposed in early 2020, businesses across the UK had to rapidly transition to remote operations.
This meant that millions of employers and employees across the nation shifted to an enforced home-based working system, transforming kitchen tables and spare rooms into temporary offices.
And it was this sudden pivot that revealed both the possibilities and limitations of remote work.
Importantly, it demonstrated that many jobs could be performed effectively from home, challenging traditional assumptions about productivity and presence.
In many cases, productivity increased – no time taken out of the day for the morning or evening commute. And no distraction from other things happening around the workplace.
But the enforced move to working from home also flagged up issues that can arise from this way of working. Not everyone has the ideal home-working environment and this can prove challenging for the employee. From physical space to family commitments to digital infrastructure.
Importantly, what was also flagged was the mental health challenges associated with the isolation of working from home and also the blurred work-life boundaries.
By 2022, the hybrid model of working, which combines both remote work and going into the workplace, had become the dominant model for many UK businesses where the type of industry allowed.
Research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) showed that nearly half of UK employers had adopted hybrid arrangements as a long-term strategy.
This shift not only allowed for greater flexibility for both the staff and the business, but also broadened recruitment pools and reduced overhead costs for businesses. Companies could recruit young staff from further afield if their physical presence in the workplace was only required occasionally.
And young talent who had previously felt they couldn’t apply for roles because they couldn’t – or didn’t want to be – in the workplace full time could now put themselves forward for filling vacancies.
Of course, recently, some companies are once more changing their policies with a back to office mandate where staff are required to be in the workplace for some or all of the time.
It remains to be seen how this will impact on staff retention and recruitment in the future for those companies that have requested employees to return to the office.
For many young people looking to work remotely – even if just for some of the time – it could mean they will look elsewhere for employment where the hybrid model is still embraced.
On the flipside of this, however, some surveys have shown that Gen Z is leading the charge when it comes to being in the workplace; feeling that they benefit from being amongst their coworkers, learning and sharing ideas.
This is the generation that missed out on being in school and college at a pivotal time of their life and they now want to make the most of being able to collaborate with and socialise with others.
The preferred model is still the hybrid model, however, where Gen Z feel they have the best of both worlds.
The Rise Of Digital Collaboration Tools
When people were forced to work from home, the ability to collaborate was still important. So the pandemic led to businesses adopting and embracing various digital tools and platforms that still allowed for activities such as team meetings.
Video conferencing software like Zoom and Microsoft Teams became ubiquitous – allowing for multiple people on one chat. Meanwhile cloud-based collaboration and project management tools such as Slack, Google Workspace and Trello facilitated real-time communication and project management.
Obviously, use of such digital tools prevails in today’s work life. Regardless of physical location, teams can still work together and connect.
We have written in the past about burnout in the workplace. And whilst the opportunity to work remotely can contribute to a reduction in the risk of burnout, the use of these digital tools has given employers the extra responsibility of ensuring staff aren’t at risk of burnout by feeling the need to be available at all times.
There needs to be set boundaries where young staff, in particular, know they can switch off and keep firm boundaries in place when it comes to work life balance.
A Change In Workplace Culture
COVID-19 not only changed where we work but also how we relate to our work and colleagues. The pandemic highlighted the importance of wellbeing, inclusion and empathy in the workplace.
Although we are all individuals, many of us faced personal and collective challenges that all of us can relate to. From health anxieties and feelings of isolation to caring responsibilities and financial worries, many employers needed to adapt and find ways of showing greater flexibility and support.
For many, this has led to positive changes in workplace culture. It has prompted many organisations to place a stronger emphasis on mental health and to take it seriously with various initiatives in place in companies around the nation.
Positive mental health leads to greater productivity. And, for young people, they will look to apply for vacancies with companies where they know their mental wellbeing will be one of the priorities.
Rethinking The Need For Office Space
The role of the physical office has been redefined in the wake of the pandemic. With fewer employees commuting to the office daily, organisations have reevaluated their needs when it comes to physical workspace.
Many companies have downsized their spaces and this is especially true of SMEs who might have more flexibility when it comes to the need for an actual place of work for their staff. Hot-desking has become more popular and some employers have reconfigured their offices to prioritise collaborative spaces over individual desks.
The idea of the office as a place for collaboration, innovation and social connection, rather than a mandatory daily destination, has taken root. Flexible workplaces and coworking spaces are used by many companies so that staff can come together in person on a more ad hoc basis.
As you will have seen in the media, this evolution has also had ripple effects on local urban economies. Fewer daily commuters have affected businesses that rely on office footfall such as cafes, takeaways, coffee shops, dry cleaners and transport services.
Again, however, the flipside of this is the fact that suburban and rural areas have seen a resurgence in local economic activity as more people spend time working closer to home.
Changing Attitudes Toward Work-Life Balance
It’s fair to say that the pandemic forced a collective reevaluation of priorities amongst the UK workforce and for those young people who were about to enter the workplace.
For many UK workers, the experience of working from home (whether welcomed or endured) prompted reflection on what they wanted from their careers and from their employers.
Where working long hours and being present in the workplace had taken priority, the pandemic has forced a shift towards a desire for flexibility in working hours, the opportunity to work remotely and to be trusted by employers in doing this.
As an employer, you will no doubt be all too aware of this, especially if you are in a profession that is mainly office-based.
This shift has been reflected in employee expectations and recruitment trends. Job seekers increasingly prioritise roles that offer remote or hybrid working options, flexible hours and supportive workplace cultures and this is certainly true of Gen Z.
As well as researching facts and figures about a company before they apply for a role, they will also research company culture to ensure they are going into a supportive environment where they feel valued.
As an employer, you may have made adaptations to your recruitment so that you can continue to attract and retain young talent.
‘The Great Resignation.’ where workers voluntarily leave roles that no longer align with their values or lifestyle preferences was – and is – a real problem for many employers.
In the UK, sectors such as hospitality and healthcare have been particularly affected, facing high turnover and persistent staffing challenges. And this has been compounded – especially in the hospitality industry – with large increases in energy bills and other running costs.
Covid’s Impact On Specific Sectors
While white-collar industries like tech, finance and media were able to transition relatively smoothly to remote work, other sectors faced significant disruption.
Retail, hospitality, manufacturing and healthcare required in-person presence and were hit hardest by lockdowns and restrictions.
In response, some industries have accelerated automation and digital transformation. The retail industry, for instance, saw a massive uptick in e-commerce adoption, while manufacturing invested in technologies to enable remote monitoring and diagnostics.
Meanwhile, local doctors’ surgeries expanded telemedicine capabilities, offering virtual consultations at unprecedented scale.
In the long term, these adaptations may lead to permanent changes in how services are delivered and how roles are structured across these sectors. We are seeing this in the healthcare sector where many patients no longer physically visit their GP for various ailments. These are dealt with remotely.
Legal & Policy Considerations
The changing work environment has also prompted legal and regulatory shifts in the UK.
The government has consulted on proposals to make flexible working a day-one right for employees and, as of 6th April 2024, any employee now has a statutory right to make a request for flexible working from their first day of employment.
Whilst employers can reject these requests, it is hoped that more meaningful dialogue can take place between employers and employees around this. This signals a policy shift towards normalising what was once considered non-traditional working arrangements.
Employers must now navigate a complex legal landscape around remote working, data protection, health and safety responsibilities and employee wellbeing.
Questions about fair access to hybrid work, particularly for those in lower-income or front-line roles, continue to shape the policy debate.
There are also roles where hybrid work simply isn’t possible and analysts have raised concerns about this – the possibility of Britain turning into a 2-tier workforce.
Office workers now have much more control over their working hours and where they carry out those working hours. However, construction workers, healthcare workers and shop staff for example, don’t have this opportunity.
For those people who can and do work remotely, unions and advocacy groups have also raised concerns about surveillance technologies used to monitor remote workers, advocating for greater transparency and employee rights in the digital workplace.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Work in the UK
As we move further away from the peak of the pandemic, it is clear that the workplace changes initiated by COVID-19 are not temporary fixes but enduring transformations. The future of work in the UK is likely to be characterised by:
- Greater flexibility: Hybrid work is here to stay and organisations will continue to experiment with different models to optimise productivity and employee satisfaction. In industries where shift patterns are rigid, like manufacturing, organisations are looking at ways to make shift patterns more flexible so that they can both attract and retain staff.
- Ongoing digitalisation: Continued investment in digital tools, automation and remote collaboration technologies will shape how work is done across all sectors.
- Focus on wellbeing: Mental health, work-life balance and holistic wellbeing will remain top priorities for employers aiming to create sustainable, resilient work environments.
- Redefinition of roles and skills: As technology changes the nature of work, there will be increased demand for digital skills, adaptability and lifelong learning.
- Geographic decentralisation: With location becoming less important for many jobs, regional disparities may decrease and the UK could eventually see more balanced economic development outside London and the South East.
The COVID-19 pandemic has not only reshaped how we work in the UK but has also provoked deeper reflections about the purpose, place and value of work. What began as a crisis response has evolved into a societal shift, with implications for employers, employees, policymakers and communities alike.
