The Transformation of Work in the COVID-19 Era

Abstract

In March 2020, a massive experiment of work-from-home (WFH) started abruptly almost worldwide. In this article, I explore some the most important changes of the work practices linked to the work detachment from standard places, due to the COVID-19 shutdown. Notwithstanding the unprecedented nature of the shutdown experience, the changes experimented in this period might last beyond the end of the measures adopted to control the spread of the virus, due to the estimated long-term growth of remote working and the acceleration of virtuality and connectivity at work. The discussion draws on recent research on remote working and on the emerging research and theoretical debate on how COVID-19 is affecting organisation and work design, and it aims at highlighting some new directions in the evolution of work practices. Moreover, going beyond the emphasis placed on the success of the world-wide experiment of WFH backed by digital technologies, a special attention, in this analysis, is devoted to envisioning some risks associated to the transformation of work in the COVID era.