During the pandemic there has been a change in workplace dynamics. We have seen an escalation of trends such as work from home (WFH), virtual hiring and adoption of hybrid work — a combination of WFH and office. Whether these changes will be permanent is a question that remains.

Meanwhile, a survey conducted by Indeed, a worldwide employment website for job listings, states that there has been improvement in hiring — the number of job postings has increased. The fields that saw the best recovery are healthcare, production and manufacturing, construction, retail and sports. This trend is expected to continue in 2021.

An overwhelming 59 per cent of employees said they expected workplaces in 2021 to show greater consideration for hygiene, health and safety, while 44 per cent cited mental well-being as the second most important consideration. One in two employers said social distancing and hygiene measures would be a priority while implementing new workplace policies in 2021. Embracing hybrid work as the future, more than seven in 10 employers said they would increase work-from-home options.

The data also shows that, between March and December, search for “work from home jobs” increased by 362 per cent in India. Many organisations — large and medium, Indian and global companies, as well as SMEs and start-ups — have hired only virtually during the pandemic. Nearly half of all employers hired only virtually.

An interesting trend during the pandemic was that “remote” job postings for freshers increased by 157 per cent from April to May, and by 364 per cent from April to August — a reflection of the ongoing change in the mode of work. The leading roles for freshers were in the areas of administration (14 per cent), tech software (10 per cent), customer servicing (8 per cent), marketing (5 per cent) and sales (4 per cent).

For employees, remote working has presented more learning opportunities than before, with many employers rolling out programmes for upskilling.

Sashi Kumar, managing director, Indeed India, said, “Covid-19 disrupted economies but it also created an opportunity for the workforce and workplace to adapt, pivot and reimagine. This research shows that some of the changes in 2020 will have a lasting impact, with both employers and workers eyeing greater flexibility in work methods and placing emphasis on health and hygiene. Our study also shows that employee well-being and work-life balance are now workplace imperatives, while skilling will be an important conversation for organisations. As the world’s second largest labour market moves towards its economic recovery, how organisations redefine their talent strategies and workplace practices will play a critical role in how India prepares for the future of work.”

Mass adoption of tech-driven solutions has laid the foundation for business communications, both internal and external, to transition online, and this has altered the dynamics of the workplace beyond recognition. In 2020, voice, video and data were the lifeblood of offices. The Web-based technologies enabled many businesses to function relatively seamlessly during the lockdown. Corporate entities now resemble a hub-and-spoke system of operations compared to the congregation of employees at a base of operations considered the norm. Telecommuting and WFH will become commonplace as technology dominates all aspects of business operations.

As far as recruitment and talent sourcing are concerned, 2020 has heralded an era in which digital modes of communication and online skill showcasing have resulted in widespread virtual hiring. “Every aspect of the recruitment process, from the various interview rounds and assessments, to offering LOIs and hosting orientations, is now conducted via digital mediums. The innovations are likely to remain in place,” says Nikhil Barshikar, founder, Imarticus Learning, a professional education firm that offers training in financial services, analytics and digital marketing.

The workplace has undergone a major reshuffle. We won’t be seeing a lot of generation collisions,” says Shekhar Bhattacharjee, founder, Dalham Learning, an education platform that offers social science and liberal studies for undergraduate and postgraduate students in engineering and management. “With a steady influx of millennials ushering in the Gen Z crowd, the workplace dynamics is set to change. The new professional crowd fosters a fast-paced environment that allows more cross-cultural communication, has a greater space for empathy and seeks to use technology with a humane touch.”

Says Narayan Mahadevan, founder, BridgeLabz, which provides skilled engineers to start-ups and enterprises, “The traditional methods of hiring are being left behind... Tech companies are joining hands with start-ups that train talent in the latest technology using experiential learning methods. Companies are increasingly open to remote hiring and remote working. Earlier, it was difficult to comprehend how to hire an employee from a different location. Today, companies are open to hiring an employee from a different country as well!”

Also, instead of regular hires, companies are opting for interns or consultants to bring down costs. The tech talent too is open to such options although some internships are unpaid. These can prove beneficial for those with no work experience.

Go figure out how best to tap into this change.

Top tips

• Focus on re-skilling to match current requirements

• Search for global remote internship opportunities

• Become more tech savvy as digitalisation and use of technology is at its prime

• Prepare yourself for virtual interviews