The world has been rapidly changing due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and it will remain different in many ways. Perhaps, one of the most significant changes is the way that people work. Before the pandemic began, the uptake of flexible working was slow and only around 5% of the workforce in the UK were benefited from ways of working flexibly in the pre COVID-19 world (CIPD, 2020), but it has significantly increased at the beginning of the first lockdown to about 45% (ONS, 2020a and 2020b). Although, it is too early to predict the future trend of flexible working based on the current situation, but a recent survey by YouGov (2020) found there are now early signs that many workforces are willing to continue to some degree to work flexibly even when the current restrictions are lifted and the pandemic is over. (144)
Currently, the main questions for a plethora of organisations, such as Leeds City Council, are what will the new post pandemic normal look like and which working practices should be adopted when they are planning to bring their employees back to workplaces. The answers to those question would navigate to identify what changes needed for embracing better ways of working in the “new normal” as well as to maximise the benefit from a balanced flexible working. It is probably fair to say that the new normal workplace for many people unlikely to be as the same one when they will come back to.
The world has been
rapidly
changing due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and it will remain
different
in
many
ways
. Perhaps, one of the most significant
changes
is the
way
that
people
work.
Before
the pandemic began, the uptake of flexible
working
was slow and
only
around 5% of the workforce in the UK
were benefited
from
ways
of
working
flexibly
in the
pre
COVID-19 world (CIPD, 2020),
but
it has
significantly
increased at the beginning of the
first
lockdown to about 45% (ONS, 2020a and 2020b). Although, it is too early to predict the future trend of flexible
working
based on the
current
situation,
but
a recent survey by YouGov (2020) found there are
now
early signs that
many
workforces
are willing to continue to
some
degree to work
flexibly
even when the
current
restrictions
are lifted
and the pandemic is over. (144)
Currently
, the main questions for a plethora of
organisations
, such as Leeds City Council, are what will the new post pandemic normal look like and which
working
practices should
be adopted
when they are planning to bring their employees back to workplaces. The answers to those question would navigate to identify what
changes
needed for embracing better
ways
of
working
in the “new normal”
as well
as to
maximise
the benefit from a balanced flexible
working
. It is
probably
fair
to say that the new normal workplace for
many
people
unlikely to be as the same one when they will
come
back to.