What Workers Are Looking for in the Coronavirus Era

For many workers, there has never been a time for greater flexibility and autonomy in their professional lives, as the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has caused sudden changes in the world of employment.

Many employees want the changes to be permanent. Employers and employees evolve and move into the future together; both teams must communicate, understand and adapt to each other’s needs.

From now on, organizations need to be prepared and understand the fundamental changes in the way they work and be prepared to take bold, innovative and effective action. How can organizations recognize and support the empowerment of their human resources for the benefit of all?

The possibility of choice

There is no one way to suit all employees when it comes to work, working full time either from home or work or using a hybrid model.

According to the ManpowerGroup survey “What employees are looking for”, most employees believe that the COVID-19 crisis marks the end of full-time office work and are looking for a “hybrid” working model that combines work and home and at the same time balances their personal and professional life. Organizations need to work with the HR department and their employees to determine the best balance between personal and performance responsibilities for all parties.

Employers will redesign and re-evaluate the workplace more and more to better combine the remote work of the delivery department with the strategy that includes collaboration and creativity. At the same time, the development of a flexible and free economy will continue to redefine what it means to be an employee and expand one’s choices.

The importance of physical and emotional health

When the coronavirus crisis started, all the focus was on keeping people physically safe. But as the months went by, it became clear that human resources also needed mental and emotional support, primarily because of the growing isolation. This further strengthens the role of the human resources department, with a more significant duty of care and leadership, to deepen and understand the needs of the people.

An ever-active digital life

The increasing adoption of social media and virtual communities has resulted in the digital footprint of employees and their daily interactions – from Slack to Twitter to email in perpetuity.

This allowed for a continuous digital presence, often blurring the lines between personal and professional development activities. For organizations, this means helping their human resources adapt, understanding their roles and responsibilities, and sharing ways for employees to become inactive and disconnected.

Transparency and justice

Today, employees are looking for more than their employers, including security, sustainable skills development, and a balanced combination of work and personal life. They also expect more from their organization values, such as acting as global citizens and environmental managers alongside other social goals and metrics.

Employers who demonstrate their commitment to both their human resources and their customers and shareholders will be able to attract, retain and support the best talent. Working remotely gives employees the flexibility they may have been looking for and perhaps greater efficiency. For example, someone who works entirely from home as a voice actor now has the ability to define his own program according to his needs while at the same time continuing to be more creative and effective in his work. This possibility has been realized by the voquent.com agency, which offers its employees several tempting employment packages and substantial development opportunities while at the same time offering the ideal balance of work and personal life.