As more of us get vaccinated, there are big decisions to be made, including about returning to work.
Some people are itching to get back to work, but others find that they are able to get more done at home.
Dr. Angela Hall, Associate Professor in the School of Human Resources and Labor Relations at Michigan State University says it’s because workers are making up for what’s called “process loss.”
“You have to drive there, you have to park, you have to interact, you have to make small talk with people. And even the most extroverted person – we may enjoy that, but that takes away from maybe productivity and things like that,” she explained. “So a lot of people have found ways to become more efficient.”
Dr. Hall says the pandemic has forced many people to be creative about how they approach their work and discover new things about their own working habits.
Studies show that most employers have not reported an overall loss in productivity as many had expected, although employees say that certain tasks may take them longer.
“But they’re making up those productivity losses,” said Dr. Hall, thanks to increased flexibility and the overall time being saved.
Dr. Hall says employers will need to find a sweet spot between the benefits that people have found in working from home with the need for face-to-face interaction.
“This is not the future of work, it’s the evolution of work. Work is changing, our lives are changing, and I don’t think we’ll ever go back - at least not in the foreseeable future - to the way things were before. So we have to find ways to adjust our work, our family lives and a way to go forward.”
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