Will the pandemic really shape the future workplace? – MENAFN.COM

Will the pandemic really shape the future workplace? – MENAFN.COM

(MENAFN - The Conversation) The workplace and modes of working have come into the spotlight amid COVID-19 lockdowns that have enforced remote working as the new norm for most businesses. Companies have had to review their practices to accommodate a hybrid-approach which allows employees to spend some time in the office to create social work experiences. Research suggests that the pandemic could also shape other future workplace trends. Two trends stand out: the rise in telework and virtual collaboration on the one hand and the increasing divide between formal and informal work on the other. The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us about the great divide between 'them' and 'us', inequalities, and exploitation in informal workplaces. The dire reality of unemployment is a major challenge. Joblessness is exacerbated by the use of the informal sector as a shock absorber . The contractual labour market has shown a steady growth over the past decade. This casualisation of work can have positive and negative consequences. In South Africa, which has a long tradition of work casualisation, the effect has not always been positive as some workers have been victimised and exploited . They have also not been provided with basic provisions, including personal