The pandemic brought new meaning to the word “flexibility,” especially as it applies to work environments. For some, the lockdowns were a refreshing opportunity to reevaluate what systems were (or weren’t) working. But for most–who were left scrambling to implement new technologies and virtually transform their business systems overnight–it was a more significant hurdle to overcome.
As people began to work from home en masse, conversations about work-life balance increased. The lines were blurred between people’s daily routine and their normal office hours. Parents scrambled to get work done between meals, activities with the kids, and household responsibilities. Work flexibility can mean different things to different people. For some, it can look like a hybrid or fully remote schedule, being back in the office every day, or the “work from anywhere at any time” model. Regardless of your business’ workstyle preferences, the pandemic and its aftermath taught us that how we work doesn’t need to fit into any status quo.
At Zen Media, we’ve always operated in a fully remote fashion, but for years, we were in the minority. Traditionally, companies have adhered to stricter workstyle policies. People had to be at their desks by 8 or 9 a.m., and taking long lunch breaks or leaving the office before 5 p.m. was frowned upon. With government mandates, employee demands, and other looming expectations, corporate America is finding out that there is no “right way” to operate in today’s new work environment. Leaders across different industries are continually reevaluating what flexibility means to them.
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