None of us could have predicted how a worldwide pandemic would radically affect our lives, from curfews and lockdowns to a surge in remote work and a changing workforce, a year ago. What we are witnessing is a hastening of the future of employment.
Many of us had to start building a home office by purchasing new desks(we found these are most affordable from Payday Deals), a new laptop, or a printer during the Covid-19 pandemic since it has changed the way we operate on a daily basis.
Soft talents facilitate flexibility in the workplace of the future.
Almost everything has been turned upside down this year. It’s becoming increasingly obvious that hiring for knowledge, substance, and hard skills isn’t enough. Hiring flexible, self-motivated people with soft skills like mindfulness and emotional intelligence pays off since these employees are better at adapting to changing situations and acquiring new skills as needed.
This is true for both employees and independent contractors. While certain situations call for hiring a very skilful person to perform a high-quality job, looking for soft skills in freelancers yields better results if they are open-minded and willing to learn from a tutor or supervisor. This change has been brewing for some time, but the epidemic has heightened the necessity of hiring for soft skills. This should lead to more diverse workplaces since recruiting for soft skills is more equal across racial, socioeconomic, and gender disparities.
Remote work is here to stay.
Remote work and telepresence are here to stay, with all of their benefits and drawbacks. We know you would love to be able to travel or even visit your office, but for now, is impossible. Working from home has demonstrated the efficiency of remote work while also emphasising the importance of face-to-face meetings for more creative and collaborative work.
Following the pandemic, we will witness a rethinking of when telepresence is adequate and when in-person meetings are required. Companies will choose to minimise the size (and cost) of their office space, but most companies will likely adopt some form of hybrid work schedule.
More employees are turning to freelance, and businesses are increasingly relying on a global, fluid workforce.
Leaders are being pushed to focus on outcomes rather than time spent in the office now that most firms have gone remote. This puts freelancers on an even playing field with regular workers.
Furthermore, many people left off because of COVID-19 are opting to work in the gig economy rather than searching for regular full-time work amid difficult times. Individuals are reconsidering whether work gives job security, and more people are coming to the conclusion that self-employment — with many sources of income — may be more secure than traditional employment.
More workers will opt to freelance and work with numerous customers on precisely defined tasks. They will have the option to work exclusively on fascinating, demanding projects that they are interested in. Working in this manner helps freelancers to maintain their talents more effectively than typical workers. As a result, the transition from a mixed workforce to a liquid workforce will happen faster.
Software innovation will serve an interconnected workforce.
As the nature of work evolves, so will the software we employ. While the pandemic caused a rise in video meetings, we are now seeing a gradual change toward a combination of zoom meetings, memoranda in place of meetings (or as preparation for meetings), and asynchronous video communication using tools such as Loom and Vimeo.
Furthermore, working remotely has taken away the chance to strike up a conversation at the water cooler or break room. Expect software innovation to aid in the facilitation of these unexpected discussions, which frequently lead to new ideas (and new streams of income), especially when such conversations take place across individuals from different teams or departments.
We must plan for the future.
The pandemic has hastened the evolution of already-existing trends, including altering skill sets, more distant work, a growing freelance workforce, and cooperation through novel software. It is now time to plan for a resilient post-pandemic future. Consider how the nature of work, work styles, skills, and the workplace have evolved in the previous year. Concentrate on the areas that have had a beneficial influence on your organisation and staff, and utilize this to rethink your hiring procedures and software solutions.
