Collaboration in the Post Covid World (Part 1)

Published : May 14, 2021

As the world begins to emerge from its Covid imposed hibernation and we return to the office, there are some professional habits we have picked up that we’d be smart to keep. In this three part series, we will discuss best post Covid practices in the corporate world. 

The New Norm

In the post-pandemic world, many people are designing a new ‘hybrid' work model. According to RGF International Recruitment, 61 percent of Singapore workers plan to continue flexible work after the pandemic, with 65 percent seeing it as a critical factor for work-life balance. According to a survey conducted by The Straits Times, eight out of ten employees prefer flexible working conditions, while one out of ten want to return to the workplace full-time.

The Human Factor

Nancy Knowlton, President and CEO at Nureva, said, "We need a beginning point on what working from home and in the office entails." "I think it's not a question of creating parity between home and office work environments with the new technology tools; it's about doing the work necessary at any venue. For example, anyone working could spend the majority of his or her time at home in heavy development mode while working with his or her team. Certainly, the bureau would be established and vice versa. More than just the tools, rethinking a group’s schedule is also important. Monday and Friday may be the WFH days, and those days could be structured with a light meeting load.”

Pay Attention to False Assumptions

"The benefit we have as a consultancy is that we see this return to work from various verticals: hospitality, higher edging, corporate business," said Mark Peterson, Shen Milsom & Wilke LLC Director. "At the moment, about 14% of the city is empty in Manhattan and we have 20 million people moving from major cities. However, as they look at the workforce, 80% of them think it is OK, and 41% think that they are more effective. When we are talking about new spaces for our customers, we are thinking of this 25% full-time, 50% flexible, 25% remote ratio.” Bottom line, what might work for one business may not work for others. 

On the Edge

“We examine the technology that is adaptive and can be learned through IA and machine learning to suit the needs of the space," said Martin Bodley, head of Bose Work at Bose Professional. "It is simple to set up, but it can easily be adapted to different challenges." It is becoming increasingly common to begin deploying cleverer devices on the edges that they can be frequently modified and easily managed.