COVID-19 has changed the way we look at many things. Lockdown and social gathering rules have taught us that when the going gets rough, we have to rough it out too. Indeed, society has done and continues to do a phenomenal job.
Yes, it was stressful dealing with all the changes initially, but it taught us to understand that nothing is ever stable, and change is the only constant.
Prior to the pandemic, working from home seemed impossible; now, most of us have become accustomed to doing so on a permanent basis.
Here are five wonderful ways in which humans around the world have stepped up and embraced the changes brought on by the pandemic with grace:
COVID-Safe Workspaces
Just because people can’t go to the office, doesn’t mean they have to stop working entirely. The idea is to keep employees productive yet safe, which is why many companies have adopted COVID-safe virtual office solutions.
Most of these businesses have had to maintain a healthy balance between letting their employees work from home while utilizing virtual offices to handle all of their administrative requirements. The result? Productivity levels have seen a considerable increase, with statistics showing that 51% of Americans are more proficient when from home.
The Rise In Freelance And Part-Time Jobs
A lot of large corporations retrenched staff and let dedicated workers go at the beginning of the pandemic. This led to growing uncertainty and concerns about where people would find work and how they’d secure their future.
By cutting down on full-time staff, companies were able to employ staff to fill casual, part-time, and freelance roles. While these jobs seem relatively unstable, it looks like many of the freelance and part-time jobs will remain well in the future.
If you haven’t started looking for a freelance or part-time job that you can do on the side, now is your time to get started. As these side hustles and online jobs start becoming more and more popular, almost everyone will want to adopt the freelance lifestyle. With this in mind, it’s best to get ahead of the curve and secure your flexible income streams now.
Online Learning
Who would have thought that so many people are capable of studying on their own? With universities having to move online and work-related training and workshops operating on the internet, it appears that online learning isn’t as difficult to remain engaged with as people once thought. In fact, e-learning is working so well that this may be yet another trend that is here to stay.
Clipped Wings
When the world locked itself up, travel in most countries was banned. However, we soon learned that people from different countries could still see each other through virtual platforms.
Companies decided that meetings held via Zoom, WebEx, and Microsoft Teams were just as effective as face-to-face interactions. One can only wonder how many business trips will be deemed unnecessary during the years that flow out post-pandemic.
Comfort Is Key
Thanks to Covid-19, we have come to appreciate the importance of comfort in the workplace, especially when that workplace is your home. You can now work in slippers and sweatpants all day and no one will say anything about it. This is definitely one of the simplest yet most ways humanity has stepped up to work around the pandemic!
All in all, it seems people have recognized that the formality of office culture was largely unnecessary. We’re stepping into a new era of comfort, flexibility, and a focus on employee health.