Pandemic Fallout and the Future of Work
Even as parts of the world return to a state resembling normal, the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic continues to unfold. Referring to this global event as “unprecedented” has become so commonplace as to be clichéd, and yet, the term hits the nail on the head. The unprecedented nature of this worldwide disaster renders its effects unpredictable, and as we march into the future, those effects continue to develop in ways we could only have guessed. Pandemic lockdowns had an immediate and marked effect on work. Who could or should go to work, where that work took place, how it was done—these work life fundamentals changed overnight for the majority of the population. Had lockdowns lasted only two weeks, as first predicted in those optimistic old days, we might have snapped back to normal. Sixteen months in, no one can hope for a magical reset. The transformation of work translates to a transformation of employment. If the workforce is out of whack, so will be the job market and the future of work. The pandemic changed the borders around work, perhaps permanently. People grew comfortable working from home and realized this broadened their options, or they were laid off
Article by 31 July 2021