In just a few short months, coronavirus has gone from being a health concern to a global pandemic that has impacted every sector of the economy in one way or another.  While many of us were enjoying the novelty of working from home and skipping our morning commutes for the first few weeks of lockdown, as time has gone on it has become clear that COVID-19 will forever change the way we work. Here are 5 changes you can expect to happen for the foreseeable future.

1. The Rise of Remote Work

Before COVID-19 came about, there was already an upward trend in the number of people working remotely. Coronavirus has expedited the adoption of the remote work lifestyle, and companies have learned that they can survive, thrive, and save on expensive real estate by having their employees work from home.

Going forward, organizations will probably have their employees split their working time between the office and home. They may even provide access to coworking spaces for their workers instead of having them all work at one central office.

2. Redesigned Workspaces

Offices will look and operate a lot differently than they did pre-pandemic. Temperature checks and social distancing measures will have to be implemented, and these practices will continue for years to come.

Once a vaccine becomes available, however, offices will likely become a more social environment where interaction is promoted and community engagement is encouraged. After experiencing months of lockdown, we’ll be more appreciative of these interactions than ever before.

3. More Work/Life Flexibility

The idea that employees have to physically be in an office and work 9-to-5 to be productive has been disputed for quite some time, and this quarantine has shown us that it couldn’t be further from the truth. Sitting down and working for a set amount of time isn’t doable for a lot of people at the moment, especially those who are parents. This, in turn, has led managers to realize that their workers are responsible adults who haven’t been letting spread out working hours affect their overall output.

Flexibility around working hours will most likely be something that’s here to stay, and our work/life balance will improve as a result.

4. Less Travel

The airline industry took a huge hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and frequent in-person work meetings will probably become a thing of the past. Professionals have come to the realization that virtual meetings are just as effective as in-person meetings. Without the extra expenses of flying, hotel rooms, and meals eaten at fancy restaurants, conducting more meetings online will also help companies' bottom lines.

Workers are in for a lot more Zooming and a lot less flying post-pandemic.

5. Casual Work Attire

The trend toward casual work attire is yet another thing that has been accelerated by the pandemic. Workers have become pretty accustomed to dressing in their comfiest clothes during the workday over the past few months, and while it’s unrealistic to expect sweats to become an office norm, casual attire will be more widely accepted.

Companies are expected to begin implementing relaxed dress codes, which means you’ll be able to leave your suit at home on days that you’re not meeting with clients from now on.

The future of work is here, and while it may have caught us by surprise, some of these changes are definitely for the better. At Project Spaces, we’ve centred our business around bringing together badass entrepreneurs at our coworking spaces in downtown Toronto. While in-person interactions may not be happening as frequently at the moment, our community is still staying connected online. Follow us on Instagram and join our Facebook group to stay up-to-date on our virtual events and exclusive membership offerings!