The Covid-19-The pandemic has had a profound impact on the workplace in the United States, reshaping our work, the way we work, and the priorities of our employees. According to Daniel Zhao, a leading economist at Glassdoor, “there is more flexibility in today’s workplaces, whether it’s remote or hybrid choices.”
Once rare, remote work has become the norm. When the pandemic hit in 2020, offices quickly adapted to allow employees to work from home, changing the way business works forever. However, not everyone thinks that this transformation should be permanent. Vox-funded CEO and founder Adam Benowitz believes it’s time to go back to face-to-face work, saying: “I think everyone benefits from face-to-face work, come in and collaborate. Decisions are faster. Friendship is built; bonds are bonds that are difficult to form when everyone works from home.” Benowitz is not alone, and he believes that businesses will return to pre-pandemic work patterns within the next five years. Major companies such as Amazon, Google and Apple are already asking employees to return to their offices. “People in general, people realize that people need to be together. We are dedicating to this issue. … I think you’ll see more four days and a week.”
But not everyone agrees with this view. Zhao believes remote work will stay here, noting: “This is just an important reminder that even if there may be some big companies making changes, many Americans are employed by a lot of Americans in small and medium-sized businesses, and these smaller and medium-sized businesses may be hiring more benefits from hiring from all over the country.”
Both sides agree that the future of work may be mixed. In 2021 and 2022, we experienced a “big resignation”. From this, the office began to prioritize overall well-being. Moreover, employees and employers focus on work-life balance. As Zhao pointed out: “Now there must be more awareness of the capacity and possibilities of workplace flexibility. This also means flexibility in a few hours and allows workers to pop out of the office as early as possible if they need to pick up their kids.”
This transformation is especially beneficial for young Americans. In 2024, 84% of millennials and 74% of Gen Z said they hope for a more distant job choice. Still, some, like Benowitz, believe that working in the office is more valuable, “That’s the generations that need it the most, and they’re trying to learn there. Learn new skills, learn who they are, make new friendships new, thinking we’re cheating on those younger generations that we’ll regret later if we don’t take them to the office.”
Although hybrid programs offer many benefits, such as eliminating commuting, reducing stress and providing more time. The company also benefits by narrowing office space and leveraging a wider talent pool.
