The news in the past week of two vaccine breakthroughs brought some much-needed light to our darkening days. Yet, there is a distinct difference between vaccine and vaccination. While there is no clear plan for distribution of an approved vaccine in this country, we can safely assume that the first doses will be allotted to medical professionals, first responders, the elderly, and those considered high-risk due to preexisting health conditions. Meaning the general public – including the majority of working professionals – will be at the back of the line for vaccination, likely until next spring or summer.
Which necessitates projecting our WFH reality well into 2021, something most employees favor. When Jones Lang LaSalle recently surveyed 2,000 office workers, it found most (74%) wanted at least two working days from home even when it’s safe to return fulltime. The survey also found employees expect more support from their firms while at home, including “a dedicated allowance, coverage of electricity and internet expenses and technology tools.”
To be sure, mass telecommuting has had its benefits with cost reduction (less office space, equipment, catering) and increased productivity; fewer harmful emissions and more dolphin sightings. But social isolation, hidden overtime, and the erosion of work-home boundaries are taking a toll on firms’ most important capital—their employees.
As working from home continues so will this tension: Employees like the option of WFH, but are wary of being taken advantage of; employers seeking to drive efficiency will point to the “privilege” of WFH and any attendant benefits provided, which will further fuse workers’ home and work lives. If not addressed, this tension will lead to employee dissatisfaction or burnout with a resultant downturn in productivity.
Fortunately, some big brains are on it. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published a paper this fall with several prospective key policies aimed at maximizing the benefits of WFH while minimizing the downsides. While many of the policies are directed at governments, certain points are worth considering by managers, including.
- Ensuring “that teleworking remains a choice;”
- Encouraging “arrangements that provide workers with an appropriate working environment,” e.g., IT equipment/service, “office space, or childcare;”
- Adapting management practices to account for the lack of facetime, such as creating “a trusting relationship between managers and subordinates, making oversight less important in the first place.”
It behooves companies to start thinking about these issues now because – hopefully unlike the coronavirus – they will be with us far past 2021.
