Ways the workplace can evolve as we emerge out of lockdown

As the government’s social distancing restrictions begin to ease and businesses start to reopen their doors, the Challenger Business Communications team have been looking at how the workplace could evolve to meet the ‘new normal’.

COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the workplace and businesses have had to adapt by implementing new measures, such as remote working or strict social distancing, within incredibly tight timescales. This prolonged period of remote working may result in employees feeling apprehensive about returning to the office once the closures lift, or questioning whether in fact they are required to be in the office in the first place.

Video networking services such as Microsoft Teams, coupled with remote access to critical tools and systems, have made the ‘working from home’ transition fairly smooth for a number of businesses. The popular use of these communication tools over the course of lockdown has revealed that working from home can in fact be a viable option for businesses into the post-lockdown future.

Does location really matter?

As businesses have stayed operational during lockdown, many questions have been asked about whether this enforced change could actually promote some positive outcomes. Certain employees have seen an increase in productivity being away from the hustle and bustle of the office, whilst others have struggled to complete daily tasks. Is it now worth evaluating staff on a case-by-case basis to see if a split working pattern could provide increased output?

Offering employees the opportunity to split working from home and the office could be a new motivation for them, and offer more of a work/life balance. This would not only reduce commuting costs for the employee but could also save on business costs by having a smaller office space. Of course, this is not the case for everyone, so trusting and monitoring team performance is key.

What does that mean for communication processes?

In order to ensure remote working is as streamlined as possible for your business and employees, communications tools must be properly implemented in order to keep business operations fluid. Here at Challenger, we offer short-term, flexible packages that can adapt with your workforce.

Our data bolt-ons can be added for an employee who works remotely or seasonally, and our VoIP packages can be utilised consistently anywhere a worker can access a device. In addition to this, our Microsoft Office 365 package, including apps like Outlook and Teams, keeps structure and tracking so your workforce can maintain productivity no matter where they happen to be located.

So, if your business is looking to evolve the workplace and need tools to facilitate remote working both now and into the future, get in touch with a member of our team today and we can help you move forward.