How Has Covid-19 Affected the Workplace?: Workplace Training & Development

The year 2020 has undoubtedly been quite difficult for every single person in the world. Yet, it has been especially challenging for businesses worldwide. The economy, among many other aspects, was heavily affected by this unprecedented health crisis. Many changes and transformations had to be made overnight in all industries. Hundreds of millions of people had to leave their workplaces to work from the countertops of their kitchens. 

While many have high hopes that pretty soon the end to this pandemic will come, many doubt that things will ever go back to the way they were. Even though it’s difficult to make assumptions about what the future holds, there are still some predictions that many believe will follow once Covid-19 comes to an end. But how exactly will the post-Covid-19 workplace look like? Let’s take a closer look at some of the workplace trend predictions. 

What Will the Post-Covid-19 Workplace Look Like?

Safety measures were taken to reduce the chance of people getting infected with the infamous Coronavirus. Numerous public and private organizations sent their staff to work from home. If not all the staff, at least half of them did have to get their things and establish a new office at their home. 

In the first weeks of the pandemic, many thought that the “old normal” work-life we once knew is never coming back. As the weeks went by, many believed that if the right precautions were taken, maybe the team could gradually go back to the workplace. But there was confusion among workers concerning who gets to stay in the “new normal” and gets to find the courage to go back to the wild. Because we’re currently in the stage when the vaccine is out and getting distributed, these concerns will certainly get reduced as with an antidote, things will slowly return to normality. 

Why Workplace Learning and Development Is Important

Workplace learning and development should always be a top priority for any organization or company. That’s why it’s crucial that you as the head of a particular entity take the proper steps to the proper implementation of this process. Essentially, it can be the factor that leads to the success or the downfall of your organization. 

Training of the future leaders

When hiring new staff, human resource professionals can target the skills and the employees suitable for the managerial positions, or they can always select the current employees for these postings. Furthermore, businesses can establish development programs which have the business’s growth the main objective. This is achievable once the promotable talented professionals are trained and prepared.   

Increase in workplace engagement

Maintaining a 9-5 job means that one has to create and carry on a certain routine. When time passes by, and there is little to no change in how the work is done, employees can start to feel dissatisfied and create detrimental working habits. However, periodic training programs can become the initiatives that will prevent this sort of workplace idleness.    

A boost in employee motivation

Training and development in the workplace will certainly help increase employee motivation. By investing in your staff, you show that you value them and plan to have them in your company for a long time. This investment will result in a reduction in employee turnover and recruitment costs.

Workplace Training and Development Trends Post-Covid-19

With each year that passes, new workplace trends surface. People are always on the lookout for making the workplace a more relaxed environment while simultaneously increasing employee productivity. 

Yet, the changes 2020 will bring to the workplace will be unprecedented. The way things used to run before the virus came into our midst won’t be applicable in 2021. So, what will the workplace training and development trends be in the post-Covid-19 era? Let’s find out.  

The virtual workforce-training will be online

Working from home has for long been frowned upon. There was this belief that in order for the team collaboration to be on point, the productivity levels to be optimal, and the communication to be effective, employees should be working side by side. 

Well, the pandemic showed us that this isn’t necessarily true; many jobs can successfully be done from the comfort of our homes. While at the beginning many might not have embraced the idea of leaving their assigned desk spaces and offices, after a while, many realized that working from home could actually benefit them more. 

That’s why it’s estimated that due to the pandemic, the number of people working from home will be higher than the number of people that worked from home prior to the pandemic. Also, many companies around the world are planning on creating a hybrid virtual model, where half of the employees will be on the premises and the rest will be working from home. 

Those working from home will also receive training online through different learning management systems available out there. One of these LMSs is also Kiwi LMS whose purpose is to bring the user all the practicality they need at a very affordable price. 

The open offices will become a ‘problem’

Many companies have shifted from closed-off cubicles and secluded offices to open and social environment offices in recent years. This might have been an important step in creating a more relaxed and energetic atmosphere in the workplace and, in turn, have the employees becoming more collaborative and creative. 

However, in the current situation, the open space with tens of people sharing the same room won’t be as appropriate when there is a lack of social distancing. That’s why companies will be focusing on building workstations that prioritize the physical distance between employees. So, these open, wide spaces will be used to their capacity with people all around them. 

When workers are stationed away from each other, it’s understandable that the chances of half of the employees working from home increase significantly. This means that the trainers might have to find solutions that will make it easier for both employees on-site and those off-site to get the training they need. 

Collaboration might take new forms

If there is a required skill most by prospective employers is the ability to be a team player. It’s usually through collaborative work that certain projects prove to be successful. However, now that people can’t be cooperative in the old ways—sitting together and brainstorming—the collaboration will transform itself into a 2.0 version. 

We mentioned how more and more people would be choosing to work from home, so the other version of collaboration will be online teamwork. Employees will, now more than ever, use the chance to sit back home and utilize online calling platforms to do whatever they would have to do if they would be in the office. 

Coronavirus has brought many changes in almost every field. While those changes were going to happen in a way, this health crisis made them inevitable. The workplace, too, experienced some transformations. Many activities that once were considered only doable on-site, now are being done virtually. How successful, productive, and effective will these changes be? It’s impossible to know. Only time will tell.