3 years ago today, the way we work underwent a seismic shift

Three years ago, the world shut down. Since then, the COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly had a massive impact on society and has caused significant changes to how people work.

One of the most significant changes brought about by the pandemic has been the widespread adoption of remote work. Prior to the pandemic, remote work was already on the rise, but the pandemic accelerated this trend, forcing many organizations to adopt remote work out of necessity. Many workers who previously commuted to the office every day were suddenly working from home, and this shift has been one of the most significant changes to the way people work.

The benefits of remote work are clear. Remote work allows employees to avoid the time and expense of commuting, provides more flexibility in work schedules, and can lead to improved work-life balance. Remote work also enables companies to reduce their real estate costs, and to tap into a global pool of talent, providing more opportunities for workers who might not have been able to relocate for a job.

However, remote work also presents challenges, such as isolation, difficulty in collaboration and communication, and the blurring of boundaries between work and personal life. Organizations must be mindful of these challenges and put in place policies and practices to support remote workers and ensure they are connected to their colleagues and the company culture.

The pandemic has also accelerated digital transformation across many industries. With the sudden shift to remote work, companies have had to adopt new technologies and practices to enable remote work and maintain productivity. The use of video conferencing tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams exploded, and the adoption of cloud-based collaboration tools like Google Workspace and Microsoft Office 365 skyrocketed.

At LAUFT, we saw the changes coming and began building our small footprint, high touchpoint network of consistent workspaces in 2017. We started creating a new way to work in the suburbs and exurbs to help people reduce their commute time; a hidden tax that the average worker has been paying for too long. 

Using our LAUFT Wallet feature, none of our clients lost hard-earned money to expensive coworking memberships or leases for office space they couldn't access. The money they entrusted us with sat untouched until they were comfortable returning to our shared spaces. 

While we waited to reopen, we overhauled our mobile booking app and dashboard software to make it even easier to manage and book workspace without memberships or leases. At the onset of the pandemic, we accelerated our push into Enterprise accounts with a complete reimagining of how our clients manage their teams. From live usage data to allocating monthly allowances, we built an on-demand work experience with maximum flexibility.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant changes to society and has transformed the way people work. While these changes have presented challenges, they have also provided new opportunities for organizations and workers alike. As we move forward, it is essential to adapt to this new distributed way of working where flexibility reigns. To achieve this, we need to build a new work infrastructure to support an increasingly digital society to work from anywhere the Internet lives. 

We know that the destination office and the home will always be part of the mix, but when individuals and enterprises alike need professional, distraction free space, it should be waiting (on-demand) right around the corner. LAUFT is that reliable third option.