How COVID-19 Has Altered Work Environments

State and national stay-at-home mandates have changed the way businesses operate and employees carry out tasks. What are the most significant changes?

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the economy, closing businesses and causing record layoffs, and along with it, the work life we once knew is gone. 

Before the pandemic, working from home was already gaining traction. Between 1996 and 2016, the number of organizations offering telecommuting benefits rose from 20% to 60%. Gallup research in January 2020 showed that over half of office workers (54%) say they would leave their current position for one that gives them  remote work flexibility.

The pandemic sped up the transition for some, forcing companies to reevaluate how their operations function. New tools to support virtual communications and remote office environments had to be implemented quickly. And now, many companies are planning to stay remote for the indefinite future. Some estimates say that between 25% and 30% of the workforce will still be working from home, at least a few days a week, by the end of 2021.

Regardless of what 2021 brings, change has been upon us for months. Shifts caused by COVID-19 have altered both in-office and remote work environments. Here is a look at some of the most important changes. 

Remote work environments

A major change for businesses of all sizes is a shift to remote work. If a company could operate remotely, chances are it started doing so in March 2020. This means that workers ditched the commute and logged on from home. The transition has been easier for some than others, especially considering businesses likely had to invest in new tools and solutions to ensure their workers could maintain high levels of productivity. 

For example, companies may have sped up their transition to cloud applications so that company information and processes are available from anywhere. Video conferencing tools have become a must so that teams can communicate regularly. Workers must have access to the internet from wherever they are working.

The new work-from-home normal has changed many aspects of the employee’s work life. The most significant alterations have been:

• Requiring a dedicated at-home workspace where distractions are limited

• Gaining a new perspective about boundaries, especially if they have children or many responsibilities at home

• Requiring consistent, reliable internet

• Learning new tools and technologies

• Managing working at home with a partner or spouse and simultaneously trying to help children attend classes

• No longer needing to dress in business attire for work

• Striving to maintain social connections with coworkers

These challenges have created new work norms that will likely continue long after pandemic restrictions have been lifted.

In-office workplaces in COVID-19

Some company executives are still overseeing an in-office environment. Because the threat of the virus is still ever-present, this means new precautions and procedures must be implemented to limit contact and keep employees safe. 

A few of the precautions that offices are taking include:

• Mask-wearing requirements

• Social distancing rules 

• Routine temperature checks 

• Workspace separation tactics

• Increased sanitization efforts

• Contact tracing and quarantining process if an employee contracts covid on or off-premise

Some offices may implement a hybrid return, meaning employees will follow a staggered schedule to limit the number of people in the office at the same time. Another change is that business travel has been extremely limited and may never recover to what it once was.

Next, we discuss the new interview process and how to prepare for the changing landscape when trying to secure a new position.

The interview process

As both candidates and hiring managers are now working remotely, the interview process has changed. Instead of inviting candidates into the office,  many interviewsare being held remotely. To try to make up for the changes, some employers are adding more interviews to the process or even asking for prerecorded responses to questions before the real-time interview.

Preparing for remote interviews

One piece of advice for those preparing for interviews is to keep an open mind and be as flexible as possible. The process will look much different than it has in the past. While recruiters or managers may ask the same questions, expect the current state of communications to be incorporated into questions regarding your specific industry, your ideal work arrangement, changes in your career goals, or your predictions for the future.

Focus on keeping answers brief and to the point. Online interactions can be more tiresome than in-person conversations, and it can be more challenging to read social cues. Know the key points you want to make about yourself and your experience. Take a few extra seconds to gather your thoughts when asked a question so you can be straightforward and give clear, relevant answers.

It is also very important to consider your background and lighting during video interviews. Make sure you choose an area that is tidy and professional. If needed, invest in a small light that you can put by your computer.  

Dress the part. Even though you will be interviewed remotely, business attire is usually the safest bet, and can help you feel more prepared. . 

Hiring during COVID-19

There is no sugarcoating the fact that hiring and recruiting is much different in 2020. When your business needs assistance in finding executive-level candidates, working with a recruiting firm will help you tailor your approach to the current environment. 

Contact the team at Drive Talent to learn about our customized approach to recruiting.