The year 2020 has brought with it a number of changes. The most important change the world saw was the side effect of enforced lockdowns in response to COVID-19. Every office and business place closed down, causing employers and employees to see view the traditional office space in a different light. Going forward, the lessons that were learnt during this lockdown period will help us move forward into the future.
Listed below are the five major lessons we have learned from the ongoing pandemic and how it has affected the way we work. Learning from these will be the key to unlocking a better future.
Good for the environment
The first and most noticeable effect the global lockdown has had on the world is a sharp decline in pollution levels. For example, in Delhi, many people were reporting seeing blue skies for the first time, thanks to the decrease in carbon monoxide emissions.
In China, during February, the carbon dioxide emissions were down by nearly 25% according to the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air or CREA. The organization estimates that this number is equal to 200 million tons of carbon dioxide. To put that in perspective, that more than half of the yearly emissions output of the United Kingdom.
Good for people
This point might be hard to imagine as the ongoing crisis has put a great deal of stress and worry on many people, but there is a silver lining to be found here. In many offices, employees were able to experience the benefits of remote working. A regular commuter is exposed to 30% more pollution from their daily commute. This amount is cut right down to zero when the same commuters work from home.
Another benefit that came from this is how fit people are becoming, based on data gathered from Fitbits. The data indicates that the duration of many people’s sleep has improved because they no longer need to commute.
No more carbon footprint
Before the crisis hit, experts had a number of theories about the relationship between commuting and pollution:
Nearing the end of December 2019, a study published by Harvard Business Review suggest that commuting alone by car was a major contributor to carbon dioxide emissions. As much as 24% of CO2 came from transport. By working at home, these emissions are reduced by more than 2.2 tons per year.
The lockdown has proved those theories correct. With this in mind, many people are wondering if commuting and whether or not it is compatible with a greener future.
People still want to commute
While there is a number of benefits to be had from not commuting, people still do want some separation between home and work. Remote working on a normal day or during a crisis comes with many distractions and can have a negative effect on the emotional well-being of the employee.
That is why, experts agree a short commute is more favorable. Every day, we are seeing research which indicates that ‘active commutes’, such as cycling or walking can have a positive effect on the mental state of employees. Additionally, the active commute has a minimal impact on the environment which works out well for everyone.
A new kind of office space for the future
While much has been said about the future of co-working spaces, make no mistake, they are the future and they are here to stay. Co-working spaces will indeed become the new norm and have a vital role in our society.
Dane Stangler, the Director of Policy Innovation and the Progressive Policy Institute suggests that moving forward, business communities will have to adhere to a certain level of social distancing. This could lead to a strain in community ties, which can be difficult to restore. As such, business owner, workers and entrepreneurs will need a place where they can maintain their social networks and local connections more than ever before.
This is why co-working spaces are necessary for business communities to recover and rebound from the current situation. Before the world went into lockdown, many will remember how co-working spaces were already adapting and changing themselves to show that they are ahead of the curve. Co-working spaces offer businesses the chance to safely meet, work and collaborate with like-minded professionals, making them the new face of office spaces.
