First Thoughts — Has the Pandemic Fundamentally Changed How We View Work?

I agree with the debate that the pandemic has fundamentally changed how society views work. The articles mainly discuss how, as a result of COVID-19, there has been a lot of time for introspection and decision-making for people in regards to their jobs due to lack of fulfillment and generally more time at home. Everyone experienced the shutdowns and quarantines that came at the beginning of the pandemic where essentially the whole world stopped in a way. At the time it seemed like both a breath of fresh air, in a time where everyone is moving at an ever-quickening pace, and a curse, from the unknown of when the restrictions would be lifted. In this uncertain period, people spent time with themselves in a way they didn’t have to before. From this pause came many realizations regarding their jobs, what they provided, and what people really wanted out of it. All of the articles are very convincing in how they deliver the idea of the “Great Resignation” and the shift in power from employers to employees in the terms of employment. One of the articles puts this idea of what work means perfectly by saying “ ‘We aren’t supposed to live to work. We’re supposed to work to live.’” Discovering what this means has led to more people wishing to continue working remotely to care for family members, to avoid commuting, to work from the comfort of home, or even to be more productive. I think the articles effectively describe the mentalities of people in these situations where their view on work-life balance has changed. They are missing, however, how companies have created a solution to this. How have the employers responded to this shift, and what does this mean for the future beyond having more remote jobs available in numerous fields. I think I am still missing solid data or reasoning on the opposing side. Everyone has had a personal experience with how the pandemic affected jobs, whether through a job loss, shift, or shift to remote work. There have been so many changes and it is hard to argue that this had little effect on the future of work in society.