What will our new normal in the workplace look like?
One thing that we have recently witnessed and taken part in since the pandemic is working from home. For some that are considered contract works, remote working is not a new thing. Due to the pandemic, many businesses and workers have had to adapt to a whole new kind of work structure to remain.
For those businesses and individuals that have been able to adapt, they have greatly benefited from the current situation. Businesses have had to adjust to social distancing and adopt more flexible work arrangements. Of course, they have had to adjust their human resource strategies in order to help their staff adjust to the changes and remain engaged in their work.
A majority of the workforce in Singapore is experiencing a new degree of mobility as people are searching for alternative and temporary employment to be able to supplement their livelihood. Not only are businesses adjusting to this, but the government is working to facilitate this as well.
Although there are many misconceptions by both individuals and organizations, there are many benefits to using contract work. Not only are contract workers temporary, but they help balance their overheads against productivity. Contract workers bring a diverse wealth of knowledge and experience to be able to keep allowing businesses to scale their workforce in bouts of uncertainty.
The future of the workplace or our “new normal” is looking a tad bit different than your traditional in-office experience. Social distancing and contact tracing are likely to be a large part of the day-to-day operations of businesses for the long haul, especially those workers that are allowed to return to their workplaces. The upkeep of these existing measures is to help prevent any further wave of infections.
Many companies are adjusting to the new normal, continuing to allow staff to work from home until next year with the non-essential sectors. Human resources will have their work cut out for them in helping management and colleagues transition into this workplace. Leaders need to start preparing their workplace policies and strategies to help their workforce stay resilient.