For years, it was touted by consultants as the more efficient option for maximizing work and allowing life balance for employees, but few industries actually allowed or embraced the idea of people working remotely.

There were always exceptions – but seldom was it is policy.

Until COVID-19 came, now just about every office, institution or administration has had to adapt to remote working to stay operational. And for the most part, it works.

Furthermore, employers must brace themselves for the initial fluctuation in work productivity as their employees adjust to the challenges of the pandemic while working from home, according to Dr. Melissa Furman, a lecturer of management in the James M. Hull College of Business at Augusta University.

“As the pandemic carries on, it seems like more employers are noticing how working remotely is becoming the new trend and industries are getting used to the idea,” said Furman. “The latest technologies, such as online meeting platforms, will help ease the transition and keep a sense of cohesiveness outside the workplace.”

So once the dust has settled from COVID-19 and the new normal sets in across America, what will workplaces look like? Will remote working be accepted and encouraged? What risks are there to offices slipping back into the old and traditional ways?

There are a lot of questions to consider, and if you are a journalist covering this topic, that’s where Augusta University can help.