The world of work has been changing. Especially this year, it has changed drastically and quickly. There’s also a high chance that the way we work now is not how we will work in the coming years. There are many factors changing the way we work. From COVID-19 to technology, we never know how work will be for us in the future and what will be the huge turning points. Below, we pulled together 3 trends that have been reshaping how we work.
Work never sleeps
The most visible change is that work never sleeps. With many systems being cloud-based and accessible from anywhere at any time, many seem to constantly be on the clock. This has definitely blurred the line between work and personal life. As long as you have access to the internet, chances are you can access the same people and information as if you were working in an office building.
Also, many have started to work remotely. It’s more present now than ever thanks to COVID. Since so many people are working remotely now, it’s easier to be able to cut off work and call it a day. However, that isn’t always the case. Many are starting to see a rise in emails past their actual work time. Since so many people are working from home, they can access their work whenever they want. While it’s mainly by personal choice, it can affect others. Some can receive work emails and ignore them until their next time on the clock, while others feel like they have to respond as soon as they receive it.
Technology
Going off of work never sleeping… Software, the cloud, big data, and other technologies are changing the way we work and live. The cloud puts the power of technology in the hands of employees. Software has forced us to rethink the jobs that we can and should do. Big data gives us insight into how we work and how customers transact with use. Other technologies such as collaboration platforms give us the ability to connect anywhere, anytime, and on any device.
All of these have been on the rise over the past few years, and are only growing. It has drastically changed the way we work. It makes many aspects easier and more efficient due to automation. We can access whatever we need and work with anyone regardless of their location.
Smart spaces = smarter workers
Many companies now look at offices and other workspaces holistically. No one put much thought into how all aspects of work spaces can work together to increase productivity and efficiency. With smart spaces, the user experience has become seamless and more comfortable.
A lot of companies have switched from fixed desktops to mobile devices and laptops. This allows employees to move around and choose workspaces that best suit them and their needs. For example, a casual seating area might be best for collaboration work and session. However, they’d want to move to a more private area when focusing to get assignments completed.
Along with this, office furniture has been on the upgrade. Many now focus on comfortable seating options instead of making sure each employee has a standard desk and chair. In many smart spaces, you will find that desks can change heights with the click of a button. This makes sitting at work more enjoyable and comfortable for employees.
All of these aspects of smart spaces generate data. This can be viewed to see what’s working and what’s not for employees. This allows for changes to easily and effectively be made.