Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, the work environment has changed drastically. Since March 2020, there has been a substantial rise in three key areas: remote work, automation, and the gig economy. Fast forward 3 years later, we are witnessing the eradication of the traditional 9-to-5 office schedule.
While many companies are trying to reverse this tide, asking employees to come back to the office or, at the very least work a hybrid schedule, both established businesses and start-ups need to understand these rising trends may be more permanent than they want.
The future of work is here and companies can embrace these changes to mitigate any risk of falling behind the competition. This is true not just about the impact of the remote work revolution on these companies, but also the emergence of tech automation and AI in the day-to-day lives of employees, and the increased number of workers looking for short-term or freelance gigs today rather than the traditional full-time employment relationship.
The Emergence of Remote Work
One of the most significant changes in the past few years has been the rise of remote work. With the pandemic accelerating this trend, many businesses have been forced to shift to this non-conventional working model. While it initially caused a heavy burden on employers, outlooks have changed since implementation occurred. Over time, corporations have taken notice of the major benefits that remote work offers both employers and employees.
Studies have shown remote workers are often more productive than their in-office counterparts. While at home or in the coffee shop, employees often enjoy a quieter and more relaxed atmosphere. In an office environment, workers are constantly interrupted by co-workers, phone calls, or other distractions that can impact productivity. Furthermore, more time can be used to complete work tasks by eliminating the need to commute. Without the long drive back and forth to the office, employees also have more time and energy to focus on their personal lives and care for their physical and mental health. A stressed and burnout worker is never good for a company’s productivity line.
Remote work can be especially beneficial for small businesses and start-ups because it helps lower overhead costs. With less need to have people physically in the office, companies can scale down on space and save money on rent, utilities, and maintenance costs. They can shed the cost of purchasing and maintaining as much office equipment because typically people use their computers and phones to work on.
Even though the threat of COVID-19 has been seemingly neutralized, remote work is here to stay because not only is it beneficial for employers but for workers as well. With greater control over their work schedule, employees can better balance work with other aspects of their life, such as family, hobbies, and personal interests. A recent survey by Buffer found that 98% of remote workers would like to continue working remotely at least some of the time for the rest of their careers, with 97% of respondents reporting that remote work has improved their quality of life.
However, despite a myriad of benefits, remote work also presents challenges. For example, communication can become more difficult despite having apps like Microsoft Teams and Zoom. Employees may miss out on important information or need help staying in the loop This is especially if they live in different time zones.
Without an office environment’s structure, maintaining focus may be more difficult, such as for those who have family members, roommates, or pets at home. Also, building a strong team culture can be harder when everyone is working from different locations. There are no more ‘water cooler’ conversations where familiar faces can build rapport over their lives outside of work.
Overall, these challenges can be managed with the right strategies and tools. Effective communication, clear boundaries, regular check-ins, and support from the managers, ones that can effectively lead in this environment, can help remote workers stay connected and productive.
Automation in the Work Place
For those that are not familiar, automation refers to the use of technology to perform tasks that humans would normally do. Examples of this include simple things like data entry or more complex initiatives like customer service chatbots you see on popular shopping sites.
Implementing automation software into the workplace has become essential for companies to compete in an ever more demanding and fast-paced business market. One of the key benefits of automation software is its ability to eliminate repetitive tasks, like manual data entry by automatically transferring data between different systems. New AI technology emerging from the likes of Open.ai’s Chat GPT platform, and tools like Zapier and tray.io make this easy. Automation helps streamline workflows, enabling faster and more efficient team collaboration. Reducing the time it takes to complete certain tasks frees up the amount of time that employees have daily, allowing them to focus on more important tasks like managing client relationships and closing sales deals.
Like remote work, the rise in automation presents its challenges. One of the biggest issues revolving around it is resistance from employees to use it out of fear of losing their jobs. After all, automation software is specifically designed to minimize the need for human input, leaving workers to wonder what value they have left to give the company.
Businesses need to take a proactive approach by building a culture of support and collaboration around the new technology and pushing for creativity and innovation. While automation, including ChatGPT’s AI smarts, can certainly help with routine tasks, it cannot replace many professionals’ creativity and critical thinking skills. For example, let’s look at the company Liquid Death. The owner, Mike Cessario, turned water into a unique marketing campaign. By leveraging his creativity, he was able to market water to the ‘punk’ and ‘rock’ communities in a relatable manner. Since then, his company has taken the globe by storm, reaching a valuation of over $700 million.
Companies must also provide training and education to help their workers develop new skills to take on new tasks and adapt to evolving job requirements. These can include learning a new programming language, developing data analysis, and learning leadership skills.
A Booming Gig Economy
The gig economy is on the rise and is expected to continue growing in the years to come. This type of economy is characterized by short-term contracts and freelance work, where workers are paid for their specific services rather than being employed full-time by a single company.
One of the key factors driving the growth of the gig economy is the increasing demand from the labor market for flexible work arrangements. This is particularly true for younger workers who value the freedom and autonomy that comes with being a freelancer. The rise of technology has made finding work as a freelancer or contractor easier, with many online platforms such as Fiver and Upwork connecting workers with potential clients.
As you might expect, the gig economy also presents significant challenges. For employers, some of the key challenges of managing a distributed gig workforce include difficulty in managing and coordinating their work effectively and maintaining quality and consistency across different projects. The transient nature of gig work can also lead to higher turnover rates, making it difficult for employers to build long-term relationships with their workers.
Freelancers also have their own set of challenges, as they are often responsible for finding their work, negotiating contracts, and managing their finances. The lack of job security and benefits can be a significant drawback for those who are used to the stability of traditional employment.
To address these challenges, employers may need to develop new strategies for managing their gig workforce, such as investing in technology and tools that can help them manage and coordinate their work more effectively. They also need to build stronger relationships with their gig workers by offering them opportunities for training and professional development.
Embracing the Evolution of Work
Business leaders, entrepreneurs, and human resource professionals must learn to adapt to a workplace becoming increasingly dominated by remote work, automation technologies, and the gig economy. Because frankly, the days of working 9-5 might soon be over for many industries. Whoever embraces these new work trends rather than resists it will ultimately end up on top in the future.