Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, many people have been forced to work from home. Things are changing and the UK government is urging people to return to work and for companies to conform to social distancing requirements; however, many companies seem quite happy for people to still work from home, even though the UK government is saying otherwise. Is the ‘new normal’ many people still working at home with just a few returning to their offices?
The current normal
Many people are still working from home as their office environment does not meet social distancing requirements; for example, desks may be too close together, meetings room layouts may not conform, and recreational areas and staff canteens can be a problem.
It has been noted that people working from home are just as efficient as when they were in the office. Many companies are allowing home working to continue, either permanently or until sometime in the future when there is a vaccine developed and the whole population is protected.
One issue with working at home is that some people have to work on the kitchen table, as they have no desks. This is not ideal, but next day delivery desks can make working at home a lot easier.
What will be the new normal?
It is quite likely that some offices will space out their desks and make all the other changes to confirm to the social distancing requirements. This will mean that the number of people that can work in the offices will be dramatically reduced, so many workers will still need to work from home.
Home workers need laptops so that they can have audio and video conversations with their fellow workers. They also need a home office environment in which to work. If this is to be a permanent way of working, next day delivery desks will become a requirement. Sitting at the kitchen table with a laptop is fine as a temporary measure, but a more permanent solution would be required for the long term.
It could be that the cost of the next day delivery desks would be met by the companies to provide a more comfortable home working environment for their staff.
Conclusion
The new normal will be a split, with some people working at home and others working in a new safe office environment.
