COVID-19: A Game Changer for the Workplace

“Lockdown” was named word of the year 2020 by the Collins Dictionary. This is not surprising as the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted everyone’s way of life. Attempting to contain the virus, cities and countries alike went into lockdown, shuttering schools, businesses and virtually all non-essential services. Yet, as the pandemic dragged on, what had initially been slated as temporary lockdowns became a new normal, inducing what some have termed a Great Transformation. The ripples of this Great Transformation have been felt most strongly in the workplace, where COVID-19 has upturned the cubicle model of work that has existed since the 1960s. Under the opposing pressures of public health regulations and economic necessity, COVID-19 has been a game changer for the modern workplace by shifting its physical, psychological and sociological dimensions, consequently introducing lasting impacts that promise to redefine the 21st century office in a post-COVID-19 world.

COVID-19 has been a game changer for the workplace across multiple levels, notably the physical, psychological and sociological. Before the pandemic, the workplace was largely characterized by the cubicle model developed by Robert Propst in the 1960s . This model was defined physically by box-like work stations, psychologically by entrapment and sociologically by isolation. In contrast, under COVID-19’s lockdowns, the cubicle model of the office has been thoroughly disrupted. At the physical level, the changes have been both obvious: the centralized in-person workplace has given way to virtual conference rooms, “work from home” (as well as cafes, parks, and anywhere but the office), and personalized work stations that range from traditional desks to poolside lounge chairs. Psychologically, the feeling of entrapment—of being chained to a desk and tied mentally to work—has been replaced by freedom and flexibility. Whilst meetings and deadlines still remain, employees can otherwise structure their days freely, allowing a mindset of personal agency where work can be better balanced with other priorities. Lastly, COVID-19 has altered the sociological structure of the workplace, metaphorically tearing down cubicle walls and encouraging more communication and collaboration amongst colleagues. Ironically, with interactions shifting from post-it note memos to Zoom check-ins, employees are more connected than ever before. Workers expressed that they used to feel connected to their company, but now they feel more connected to their colleagues. In short, COVID-19 has ended the decades-long reign of the cubicle across all dimensions.

This Great Transformation of the workplace created by COVID-19 was produced by opposing pressures from public health regulations and economic necessity during the lockdowns. On the one hand, COVID-19’s health risks required measures such as social distancing and closure of non-essential facilities. These led to second-order effects such as people needing to work from home, watch over children and at-risk family members and navigate pandemic disruptions to daily life, all during work hours. On the other hand, economic needs meant that a halt to all work was impossible, a fact that became increasingly clear as the pandemic dragged on. Together, these opposing pressures forced an unavoidable conclusion: that the traditional model of the workplace could not be maintained. Economic necessity required that work continues in some form, whilst public health regulations and their impacts on daily life demanded flexibility and change that the centralized office could not fulfil. Consequently, corporate culture as a whole had to adapt to the conditions posed by COVID-19 and accept this game changer to the workplace.

Rather than a short-term impact, COVID-19 will have a lasting impact on the workplace for a number of reasons. First, there is still no end in sight for the pandemic. Regions that were thought to have recovered are now undergoing resurgent waves, and even vaccines will not be sufficient for fully containing the pandemic. As such, these workplace changes will need to remain in place for at least another year, becoming gradually ingrained as a new normal. Second, the new model of work has proven successful in terms of corporate success. Contrary to expectations, studies have shown that remote work has actually increased productivity, and Q3 GDP gains demonstrate that economic growth is not tied to the cubicle model. Third, the pandemic and workplace adjustments have shown to employees and employers alike that new models of the workplace are not only possible but also desirable. Thus, organizations worldwide are already planning for a post-COVID-19 work-life that accommodates lasting shifts in employee attitudes, work dynamics, and physical spaces.

In summary, COVID-19 has been a game changer for the workplace that has radically shifted society’s understanding of the office. What was once tidy grey grids has been reimagined in the public consciousness across all levels as the structural impacts of the pandemic forced companies to adapt. Looking forward, it is unclear what offices will look like post-COVID-19, but one thing is certain: there will not be a return to cubicles.