Many businesses are facing the dilemma of how or whether their employees will return to the office structure due to the pandemic. As the article states forced to work remotely, select companies have noticed improved speed, innovation and supposed employee satisfaction. Balance is a term many companies have faced over time due to challenges either brought upon by them or in this case had nothing to do with sourcing the problem. Now, as countries and cities are opening, businesses are facing not only the question of how to return to the office, but whether to do so at all!

For the short term, businesses have quickly adjusted to the crisis, prioritizing more effectively and empowering teams and individuals to make decision faster. The article stresses that executives keep these critical principles in mind going forward.

  • Articulate the rational
  • Recognize that one size won’t fit all
  • Look to reorient how work is done, not just where it is done
  • I am going to add one more and that is to track employees mental and emotional feedback over the long-term

With all the good news spread throughout the article on the business and the customers, I feel that more effort and analysis will have to take place on their employees. The aspect of employee stress has to be studied and understood because the lines between work and life may become blurred as time passes with the working at home environment. Monitoring employee productivity output as well as the tension and anxiety impacts will be critical for business leaders and managers to take seriously.

Please read on………. Now That We Know Remote Works, What’s Next?

Source: John Hazan, Dan Schwartz, Nate Anderson and Andriana Diez, Bain & Company (2020, July 02)
Photo by Maria Luisa Gutierrez from FreeImages