Once companies were forced into a work-from-home model, they realized a few things right off the bat. The first thing they realized was that most companies were not at all prepared for such a drastic shift if workflow. It took some time, but eventually, most companies settled in. They developed processes, bought the appropriate software they needed, and shipped off laptops so people could work without having to use their personal computers, which is seen as a risk by most companies, and just not allowed by many.
Many Companies Realized the Benefits of the Work from home Model
Once people were settled in and businesses were functioning with most, if not all, people working from home, many companies started to embrace this new paradigm. They began to consider the advantages of having employees work from home full-time. It was decided very quickly by some companies that the work-from-home model worked so well they are considering to make the new set up a permanent feature of the company.
Working from home might not be a full-time benefit for all employees, but many companies are looking at anything from a hybrid model to having entire departments move out of the office to work out of their homes. Others are considering closing whole locations of office space to move their employees to work out of the house.
Maintaining an Office is Expensive, especially when it sits empty
There are many reasons given for moving to a full-time work-from-home model, including the cost saving of no longer needing the office space, equipment, and all the overhead costs associated with maintaining a building.
Another reason cited is the exact reason why most companies are working from home, which is having large groups of people commute to occupy a shared office space risks the health and well-being of everyone who works there. While this coronavirus pandemic was the driver, we all know that once an illness such as the flu gets into an office, it works its way around, causing multiple people to miss work. Barclays CEO Jes Staley has stated in interviews that crowded corporate offices with thousands of employees may be a thing of the past.
Opening up the possibiliies of companies and job seekers
From the standpoint of recruitment, if a person is working from home, their employer could be located here in New York, or they could be in Chicago, Los Angeles, or Ames, Iowa. Companies can look far and wide for the right candidate. From the standpoint of the job seeker, their options have expanded just as far. They are not limited to finding a job in the right town or the right part of the city.
The Essex Companies will continue to change with the times
The Essex Companies has been in business since 1966, and throughout that time, we have seen the job markets change and change again. The reason we have been so successful is that we have been able to change with the times and adjust to the needs of the business we are recruiting for and for the job seekers we are working to place. As we see the markets change once again, The Essex Companies will be at the forefront of that change. We will once again grow with the market and do what we can strengthen the relationships we have with businesses across the region, and as more companies start to implement a work-from-home model, our scope will expand as the demand grows.
