Working from home: an evolving culture in the wake of COVID-19

Before COVID-19, working from home was being adopted by several workplaces with a flexible work culture to help employees maintain a healthy work-life balance as well as offer a much-needed break from a mundane office environment. However, this unanticipated pandemic has now made working from home a large part of our work lingo for the majority of people. Whether we call it the new normal, or changing circumstances, most of us have been working from the shelter of our homes for several months. Although our homes are our dearest places, when it comes to working from home, we might not be that comfortable. Our workstation at the office was fit for working for lengthy periods. The ergonomically designed chairs, flat-screen monitors, and uninterrupted internet connection made the whole environment conducive for continuous hours of work. Our bedroom, dining tables, and sofas might not provide that same level of comfort. Thus, it is necessary to have the proper knowledge and expertise for setting up a home workstation. There are many providers of online home workstations which offer adequate online training in the current COVID-19 situation to set up the workstation at home. Every job has a specific technology or application in use, and companies need to provide the required access to these applications. The providers of home workstations must make the necessary arrangements so that people can work comfortably from their homes. However, working from home is not a permanent option, at least not for some professions. With different countries going through the sequential unlock phases, workers are returning to their offices or workplaces. In times like these, worker safety and health are the primary concerns. All companies should ensure that their employees undergo the COVID-19 basic health and safety course. It would include sanitation guidelines for all workers, irrespective of the nature of their job, and exposure risks. While the onus of personal sanitation lies with the employees, companies should also do their part in providing a safe workplace. Thus, it is essential for companies to have a COVID-19 risk assessment before employees return to the office. This risk assessment involves checking if the office building is ready for occupancy, identifying potential exposure risks for workers, and developing hazard control norms to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 among employees. Some of the measures which companies are taking include: - Adjusting the seating arrangement to maintain social distancing - Frequent sanitation of the whole office space - Increasing air filtration and maintaining AC temperatures as per WHO guidelines - Closing the cafeteria or other spaces for community gathering These modifications in our workplace, along with a change in the style of work, are vital during this pandemic.

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