New Workplace Trends: The Future of our Workplace and Workforce
After being faced with unprecedented circumstances that ultimately changed the world forever, we are able to identify a drastic change in our workplace.
New workplace trends such as remote or hybrid work, 4-day work weeks, paid Fridays off and more have all become a part of new initiatives for many companies.
These trends have contributed to the overall work-life balance that many in the workforce have been yearning for, for years.
One of the main things that people have taken from covid and continued into their post-covid work-life is remote work. Work-life balance has become a huge priority for many. In fact, many current day job candidates tend to seek out remote work over an in-office setting. Because employees were offered much more freedom while working from home, they were able to adjust to a way of life that they saw fit best for them. Most found their days to be more productive, their mental health to be at an all-time high, and their personal relationships to be thriving. Many also found themselves making their overall health and wellness a priority through fulfilling personal goals. Data presented by GitLab reported that 47% of people said that being around a green space or nature was their favorite part about working from home.
With that, many companies have implemented mental health care initiatives through developing employee assistance programs, encouraging physical activity, establishing a supportive workplace environment, and more. One of the first steps that many companies have taken is to be proactive and educate themselves and their staff on the importance of mental health awareness, ultimately breaking the negative stigma that often surrounds the topic.
Another trend that has entered the workplace is 4-day work weeks and paid Fridays off. A survey released by YouGov offered data that showed over two-thirds of Americans would prefer a 4-day workweek over the typical 5-day workweek. Many support this trend by offering that their productivity would be much higher during a four-day workweek, in and outside of the workplace. A four-day workweek would allow people to have more time with their families and to complete things outside of work while also prioritizing their workload to fit within their 4-day work week. Similarly, many companies have opted for a once-a-month paid Friday off. This paid time off is meant to serve as a mental health and wellness day for their employees. Many like this idea as it lessens the stress factor of asking off for mental health reasons and allows employees to prioritize their health, Medical News Today reports, as something that many stated they often put to the wayside before the pandemic.
Because of these changes, it seems fair to say that the future of work is pretty promising. From the pushes being made by the workforce, the future of the workplace puts much emphasis on the importance of company culture, the wellness of their employees, flexibility, and creating an environment that strives for support and communication.
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