It is interesting how we come to question certain expressions with time. Take, for instance, the trite phrase, nine to five, which virtually lost its currency when the pandemic hit us. The usual mode of working from office no longer remained an option for most organisations, including the IT industry. 

As remote working or Work from Home (WFH) became the new norm, organisations grappled to adapt to the change to ensure business continuity. Like many other professionals, techies had to flex their working style, as operating in a virtual environment meant no more over-the-cubicle discussions and brainstorming over a cup of tea or coffee. 

However, this was also an opportunity to make the best use of technology, and that’s where some technology organizations and professionals truly shined while other enterprises struggled. Whether it was using the virtual tools or platforms to collaborate with colleagues in different geographies and time zones or building processes and systems to share data or information, techies felt at home, both literally and figuratively.    

That said, there have been a few organisations that were practically unaffected by the sweeping changes brought on by the pandemic. These companies had a flexible approach to work and the concept of a workplace where employees came together to ideate, collaborate, and engage as part of a larger team. In fact, the “new normal” for most organisations was already the natural order of things at  such organisations. Hence, it was business as usual for them when the pandemic struck, whereas other organizations faced operational challenges. 

The Balancing Act

While many techies quickly adapted to work from home, companies focused on building a higher degree of trust and empathy with their employees to ensure productivity and employee well-being, irrespective of mode of work. 

When the pandemic adversely affected business continuity globally, some companies were already operating on a hybrid-working model with flexible timings, which made the transition to a full remote-working model effortless in the areas of hiring, project implementations, collaboration, and more. These companies were better poised to mitigate the risk of work disruption due to the pandemic.

The emergence of new trends 

Incidentally, the initial skepticism surrounding remote working gave way to acceptance as this new work mode was embraced by techies and other professionals alike. They saw it as an opportunity instead of a liability, allowing them to focus on other aspects of their lives.  

In fact, some companies that are continuing  with remote-working or hybrid model, have noticed their headcount increasing. In the wake of the pandemic, organizations are slowly resuming regular mode of working. It would be interesting to know if the new working models, which emerged during the pandemic, are going to be adopted by the organisations  eventually. But one thing is for sure; the work dynamics have arguably changed forever.