Going Back To A Post-Pandemic Workforce

Will things go back to normal or, will we need to create a new normal?

COVID-19 has pushed governments, businesses and individuals to adapt to circumstances well beyond most Canadians’ wildest expectations. Almost 100 percent of workforces are either working from home or not working at all, creating a veritable “out-of-office” ghost town.
 
As we come to terms with this new reality, there is a constant sense of lingering uncertainty that remains. When we return to work, will things go back to normal or, will we need to create a new normal? 
 

As things are changing rapidly these questions cannot yet be answered and every day brings a new wave of information. It might take six weeks or six months, but eventually employees will return back to the office. Although we cannot predict when this will happen, what we can do is use this time to prepare for the inevitable.
 
When the country heads back into the office this will present unique obstacles, just as it did when everyone made the immediate shift to remote work in early spring. It will likely create an influx of work for all employees, with an added stress to IT departments. Returning to work will require people to adapt and find new rhythms of productivity. Currently, employees are used to having family members around them and the option to adjust their work hours more evenly over the full day. Employees will now have to return to their commuting routines, meaning longer hours and working a regular 9-5 day.
 
With this return there will likely be a backlog of IT requests. Employees who needed a computer virus removed, a new headset, or any non-urgent support, will be reaching out all at once. The IT department can get ahead of this by enabling self-service for these types of common questions. Also, setting up a complete list of FAQs and knowledge items in advance can help alleviate this influx.
 
During the shift to remote work most IT teams made changes to their infrastructure, supporting the majority of employees working from home; showing organizations how invaluable they were during these times. Several other departments in the organization have likely realized how vulnerable they were not having the proper tools in place to manage their work, changing how they approach IT. 
 
Offices will also have to think about the future of work environments. There is a strong possibility that physical workplaces may diminish significantly; for some working from home could be here to stay and access to remote work will help with productivity. Already talks of restructuring office layouts are in place. There may be a shift for companies to move away from the traditional bullpen workspace, so employees are not in close proximity to one another to accommodate post COVID-19 regulations. 
 
TOPdesk Canada’s recent Office Panic Poll found that more than seven-in-10 Canadians have endured at least one dreaded IT issue on the job. On a regular work day, the survey found employees have to endure computers running too slowly (43%), the Internet not working (39%), printer issues (30%) and getting locked out of accounts due to unsuccessful login attempts. These IT issues are roadblocks to productivity and given the current circumstances, are the last thing returning employees will want to deal with during the scramble of bringing a business back online.
 
Organizations need to think ahead and prepare now to ensure a seamless back to work experience for both their employees and customers. One area that will need to be re-evaluated across all industries is inventory needs. Once employees return to work, there could be a risk of company property (equipment, laptops, headsets, etc.,) being left at home. The IT department should prepare an inventory checklist, to ensure all equipment has been returned to the workplace. Whenever possible, IT staff should report on the location of their assets through the use of an “asset discovery software” allowing them to automatically remind employees and customers to bring in their forgotten, missing or stolen devices.
 
Hopefully, the current circumstances have shown companies that they in fact can adapt to a modern workforce. Organizations that were once hesitant of remote work may now want to embrace it by implementing the correct tools and infrastructure for its staff including self-service portals and online knowledge sharing.
 
Although COVID-19 has been challenging on a global scale, it has provided valuable insights and lessons learned for moving forward, one being the essentiality of IT departments and proper service systems to a company’s success. 

Robert van der Gulik is the Managing Director at TOPdesk Canada. Connect Robert van der Gulik Visit www.topdesk.com