Culture After Covid: Work-Life Boundaries
Edge Definition
Work defined us, but we’re losing our religion. Say goodbye to work-life blur and hello to drawing the lines. People are starting to put work in a box that’s separate from the rest of their lives and decouple passion from pay check. And progressive companies and governments are helping them do it, to remedy burnout and attract talent. You are not your job anymore. We’re looking for purpose elsewhere and new ways to self-actualize.
What will Work-Life Boundaries look like post-pandemic?
Pandemic panic has put life into perspective. Between the dual threat of mass layoffs and increased automation, we’re being rudely awakened to the idea that we are all disposable.
Post-pandemic, we’ll look for the job that puts life first. Work will become a box we check, rather than an always-on lifestyle intertwined with our identity. Work will become work again.
Jobs will be more task based and less lifestyle driven. We’ll favor sleep in our own beds over nap pods in the office. And we’ll champion single-tasking over multitasking.
Work is not making us well. And it’s certainly not making us rich. The pending doom of a global recession will force us to get real about the role that work plays in our lives.
And as we head back to the office, dreams of our WFH lives will make us dissatisfied with business as usual. In a post-pandemic world, demand for Work-Life Boundaries will be the new popular uprising.
“This is certainly an awakening for a better quality of life. We just have to think of the ripple effect that this will have on society — from the positive environmental impacts, to reduced levels of stress and anxiety, to increased productivity at work.”
What if…
01\ Instead of paying for office space, businesses reinvested in remote working tools and disruptive staff benefits?
02\ Businesses adopt flexible working hours to accommodate their employees' most productive times for a win-win?
03\ Businesses expand their talent pool to rural areas to diversify their workforce and stimulate remote economies?
04\ We found new ways to identify ourselves as we accept that work is something we do, rather than who we are?
05\ Less commuting made driving fun again?
06\ Fewer work-based communities led to new networks and ways of socializing?
07\ Tech platforms were designed to help us switch off work mode, literally?