IS WORKPLACE STILL RELEVANT IN TODAY'S WORK FROM HOME SET UP?

The COVID-19 pandemic brought in a massive, sudden, and drastic shift in society. It

has led to an inevitable surge in the use of digital technologies. People and

organizations all over the world who have had to adjust to new ways of work and life.

Significant changes were made, such as the transition from working on-site to working

from home (WFH). But what impact does this have on the workplace itself; if we can

work from home, is the traditional office environment dead?

Face-to-face interactions are reduced when people work remotely. As a result,

increasing the number of workers who work from home can be helpful reduce the

current COVID-19 cases. Aside from that, there are other benefits to the WFH setup,

including the ability to take breaks at any time, the option to save a lot of money, and

less traffic and commute stress. Some people may claim to have a better work-life

balance.

However, given my experience as an employee, there are several downsides to this

arrangement that you can come across with. This involves difficulties such as access to

technology, task allocation, communication with coworkers, motivation, and aspects of

work overload and presenteeism. I consider that home is a personal place. The WFH

arrangement breaks convention. It's as if everything is in the same spot. It's difficult to

tell when and where one thing begins and ends. It might sometimes feel as if your work

is invading your personal space and even your life.

In my opinion, the office is the place where work must be done. It is a strategic tool for

growth and productivity and to connect. But due to the pandemic, the workplace itself is

now competing other places people can work from including the home. I firmly believe

that the workplace foster collaboration because it provides a variety of spaces that

encourage people to inspire, create, brainstorm, discuss and learn. Of course, this does

not eliminate the importance of focus areas for concentration and solitude, but instead

ensures an appropriate balance. The workplace is already an extension of the rest of

our lives. The effectiveness of the physical environment affects the employee’s

performance and engagement to work. When I am in the office, I become more

immersed in work and enthusiastic in completing my daily tasks.

The normal workplace isn't actually obsolete and is still relevant, but it has undergone

major changes in order to survive the pandemic. Perhaps hybrid employment will be a

practice that we will have to get used to and like.