The shift from in-person desk jobs to remote work has been a challenge for employees and companies alike. People who were able to work from home for the first time suddenly had a new freedom. They were able to work from wherever they wanted in their new workspace and were no longer chained to a desk. Tech workers were able to leave the expensive cities for more affordable options. Parents were now able to care for their children without time constraints because their children were also going to virtual school.
Covid-19 is one of the most life-altering events to happen in recent history. For most people, it was almost a reset in their workspace and in their lives. Almost overnight things that were the norm were no longer normal. People could no longer, socialize, congregate, or work the same way.
A pandemic that forced people to stay inside, changed the way that we worked and survived. Things may seem to be going back to normal now in 2022, but much will remain forever changed in the workforce.
Most people found a better work-life balance from working remotely. As we start a new year of this ongoing pandemic, people favored working from home and wanted it to be a new norm.
Will working from a New workspace (home) become the new norm after Covid-19?
The pandemic severely affected thousands of Americans, with severe job cuts and layoffs. Essential workers were at the forefront working in the face of danger, and realizing that they may not enjoy their jobs anymore.
More people in general just had more time to think about the bigger picture and what their jobs meant to them. This triggered the Great Resignation, perhaps the largest shift in employment trends in recent memory. Masses of workers quit their jobs to find more meaningful employment. The job market is once again in favor of employees as labor demands skyrocket. So does this mean that companies will finally listen to the wants and needs of their employees?
Maybe!
Companies found a lot of push back from trying to reintroduce working full time from offices. Employers would need to either provide full-time work from home or hybrid options to please their teams. Some estimates predict that full-time work-from-home jobs will compromise 25% of all professional jobs through 2023.
Remote jobs were only 4% of all the jobs in America before the Covid-19 pandemic and are now 15% of all jobs. This is due to the social change from the covid pandemic, which is the greatest we’ve seen since World War II. The pandemic forced employers to put their people first and productivity second.
The workspace now has a looser definition. Home offices need little more than a desk, chair, coffee, and a cozy environment. If the Great Resignation continues at this pace, employers may need to make more permanent changes that benefit workers long term.
Work from home jobs could be way around past 2022.
What are the advantages of working from home?
There are many things that make remote work appealing. For many people, the greatest perk is not having to commute and being able to walk to your desk. Working from home saves time and money, It gives employees more time to devote to their own personal lives and their families.
In addition to that, you also have the comfort of working from your own space and having the freedom to tailor the workspace to your taste making it more productive.
A more obvious perk is the money that remote workers save by not having to go into an office. Money that would be spent on gas, public transportation, lunch, or snacks can now be put into savings. Overall the experience of remote work has been beloved by many employees who hope that it’ll stick around.
How can I make my New Workspace homely?
If you didn’t care about how your home office made you feel before the pandemic, you surely do now. There’s nothing like a global pandemic that requires you to stay at home to induce cabin fever. You may not have cared about how things looked or how things were set up in your office but now it’s personal because it’s your home and you have no choice but to care.
Work, play and everything else happening in the same space can really start getting messy. Those of us who have a comfortable and homely environment to live in are thankful for it. We learned how our surroundings can affect our mental health.
You might or might not be happy with your current home office, so an upgrade would bring life to your new workspace. If you’re going to live and work in a space, you should love it.
Your remote office should help to soothe your senses and bring calm. You can accomplish this with things you care about. Personalized wall art can cheer you up and make you feel grounded. It is also important to have elements that help you work, like a good quality desk, chair, and computer.
You can use the privacy of your new workspace/home office to have a more creative space but still take care of business. Take advantage of the benefits of remote work to cater to your preferences. If your job provides free support or resources to build up your space, it could be a good idea to accept those as well. Your home office should make you feel productive and comfortable, to get the best of working from home.
What do you need to change in your home decor to make it a New Workspace/home office?
It’s no surprise that people get sick of their surroundings over time. Things start to show their age, your decor might be boring now, or your home office isn’t as inviting as it was initially. This is a chance to explore decorating options that can help bring back the spark in your space.
Maybe you don’t want to take on a huge project just yet or you want to take your time redesigning your office. Either way, you don’t have to drain your savings and rely on a designer to help. There are major benefits to figuring it out yourself. If you’re looking to change the energy of your home office try using art. Art is one of the most versatile tools for decorating.
You can use art to help make your new workspace feel less stressful. For example, art depicting nature can help both your physical and emotional state. Decorating your home office with nature art can help you reduce stress and anxiety, tranquility, and feelings of contentment. Take some time to find art that adds some life and breaks up the monotony of your new workspace/office. The right decor can be an anchor that grounds your mood.
Your new workspace/office should be one that benefits you and helps you be as productive as possible.
