Workspace after a Pandemic

Everyone has noticed that in 2020 the world changed with the coronavirus that spread worldwide. So many things changed, and at that moment most people did not like the change because their rhythm was altered. However, one big thing that completely changed was the workspace environment. People had to work from home, and could not come to the office anymore with more than 20% of the normal capacity and if you had to work late you had to have a signed piece of paper that you worked until late. But what impact did this pandemic have on the whole work environment and workspace?

For many, remote work began as a necessity, but it soon revealed surprising benefits. According to research from the Centraal Planbureau, even after the immediate threat of COVID-19 receded, Dutch workers showed a clear preference for continuing to work from home. The data is striking: before the pandemic, employees worked an average of four hours per week remotely, a figure that doubled to nine hours in the post-pandemic era. While not a complete replacement for the office, this shift highlights how flexible work arrangements have become a fixture of modern professional life. Industries like government services and finance have embraced the hybrid model with enthusiasm, while others—like hospitality and healthcare—have naturally gravitated back to physical spaces.

As I have seen personally it does really depend on the profession, but also on the person. Some people can concentrate way better at the office and want to go there as often as possible while some people like to work at home three out of the five working days. However, for those who can work remotely, the newfound flexibility often boosts productivity. Studies show that employees who work from home tend to enjoy more autonomy and, when properly equipped with the right technology, can even see improvements in their output.

Yet, the benefits of remote work are not equally distributed. Younger workers, particularly those aged 18 to 34, often struggle with productivity at home. They report issues with blurred boundaries between personal and professional life, finding it hard to focus without the structure and social aspects of a traditional office. These challenges underline that remote work, while valuable, is not a one-size-fits-all solution.

I personally think that the reason that this age group has a hard time with this work-life balance is that their homes are too small to either make a distinction between their workplace or their chill spot. Besides that, it is also the age group that starts to work and needs to find a way what suits them and after the age of 34 most people found a way how to separate work and personal life and also have separate rooms for work and leisure.

As the Dutch Ministry observed, the pandemic-era innovations in workspaces are likely here to stay. Many companies recognize the benefits of reducing office space, travel, and their overall environmental footprint by continuing remote and hybrid work models. But beyond environmental and financial advantages, the real shift is cultural: the workspace is no longer a physical location, but a dynamic, flexible environment that adapts to the needs of the modern workforce.

So the way of working and where you work has already changed, but even the work environment at the office has changed. In the past people used to work together and were open to discussion on the work floor, but going from a personal workspace to a workspace full of people has one big difference; Noise.

The increase in headphone use is a clear reaction to this. While it may seem antisocial, this surge in headphones is not just about music or blocking out small talk; it is a response to the reality of open-plan office environments, where noise can be mentally taxing. Studies have shown that even moderate office noise levels can raise stress levels by 34% and negatively impact mood by 25%, contributing to a decline in well-being and performance.

For many, headphones act as the new “closed door” in an office that no longer has them. They provide a way for employees to reclaim focus amidst the distractions, offering a sense of privacy in a public space. Noise-canceling headphones, in particular, may not enhance cognitive performance, but they do help employees feel like they have more control over their environment.

Yet, there is a trade-off. Headphones, while offering personal focus, can diminish team collaboration. Research shows that workplaces designed for better communication and social interaction often lead to higher job satisfaction and better teamwork. So, while headphones can help an individual get through a tough deadline, they may also reduce opportunities for spontaneous collaboration—the kind that fuels creativity and problem-solving.

Even at the university, I noticed that after the pandemic the amount of (noise-cancelling) headphones increased at every (full) study location all around campus. This sometimes makes it seem like people are getting more anti-social, but maybe this is the way for groups nowadays to work together and be more effective than before the pandemic.

I personally do not hope that the social aspect of studying will shift too much because working together and having discussions or conversations during your projects will create a better bond with your teammates and also will create a better-finished product.

In the end, what the pandemic taught us is that work is no longer confined to four walls or a 9-to-5 schedule. Whether this is a welcome development or a source of anxiety depends largely on who you ask. What is clear, though, is that the workspace—like so many things—will never quite be the same.

References

[1] https://theconversation.com/workers-hate-office-noise-but-is-using-headphones-to-shut-out-colleagues-the-solution-209134
[2] https://www.cpb.nl/sites/default/files/omnidownload/CPB-Achtergronddocument-Thuiswerken-voor-tijdens-en-na-de-coronacrisis_1.pdf
[3] https://www.nji.nl/coronavirus/onderzoek-naar-corona-en-sociaal-contact-en-vrije-tijd
[4] https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2021/07/14/onderzoek-wijst-uit-thuiswerken-is-een-blijvertje