Examining what a post-COVID 'new normal' workplace may look like

When the COVID-triggered exodus away from the office began a year ago, most workers expected their work from home (WFH) arrangements to be short-lived. But the pandemic wore on, leaving many pining for the good old days when they could enjoy the benefits of working alongside coworkers. But others came to appreciate the benefits of WFH arrangements, such as more flexibility and no commutes through frustrating traffic.

Because the pandemic so radically changed the way people work, employers have been pushed to change how they see the future. Will the "new normal" resemble the old as soon as employers can be confident the pandemic is in check, or will the workplace be fundamentally changed? One buzzword showing up in the discussion: hybrid.

Hybrid models

Professional services firm PwC released its U.S. Remote Work Survey in January, which touts the remote work successes the corporate world has seen over the last year and explores attitudes about remote work among executives and employees. The report concludes that most companies "are heading toward a hybrid workplace where a large number of office employees rotate in and out of offices configured for shared spaces."

A hybrid model can be conducive to flexibility, but it also is "a complicated way to organize the workweek and is likely to transform a company's culture, employee engagement, the way the work gets done and how office space is used," the PwC report says.