“Future of work” isn’t a new term, but in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, took on greater meaning and urgency.

In the spring of 2020, companies raced to adapt to the challenges, curveballs, and devastation the pandemic brought with it. Many workforces went fully remote, companies faced tough decisions around layoffs and furloughs, and grief and burnout were rampant as lines between work and home often became harder to distinguish. On top of it, all-too-common racial and social injustices and violence, along with a volatile election, made this past year like no other.  

The “future of work” is no longer about a future that’s on some distant horizon. It’s an expansive quandary that companies are facing right now. Which companies are returning to the office – and when? What do in-office and hybrid work models look like? How can we best support on-site and frontline workers? What tools and technologies should we lean on in this new way of working? How does company culture show up when your office has a mix of virtual and physical walls? The questions are endless – and so are the possibilities.  

Below are the resources we’re using to understand what’s next. If the events of 2020 have shown us anything, it’s that adaptability, resilience, and creativity can emerge during times of change. If what’s ahead feels murky and unknown, you’re not alone. We’re all figuring it out. And Brilliant Ink is with you on this unique journey into the future of work.  

[Note: Last updated April 2022]

@linkList;Jump to a section or read on:;Return To Office Planning & Communications;Future Of Work Trends;Flexible & Hybrid Work Models;Vaccinations & Testing;Culture;Tools & Technology;Employee Well-Being & Belonging

Return To Office Planning & Communications

• Say Hello Again to the Office, Fingers Crossed (NY Times)
• Return to Workplace Guide (Open-Sourced)
• What Is the Perfect Date to Bring Workers Back to the Office? (NY Times)
• What's Your Return-to-Office Plan? (Liz and Mollie)
• How to communicate hybrid working (Candid Comms Podcast)
• Making Remote Work - Sample Re-Entry Plans & Policies (Internal Comms Pro)
• Preventing Return to Office From Being an Emotional Roller Coaster (MIT Sloan)

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FUTURE OF WORK TRENDS

• The Most Essential Future-Focused Workplace Trends (Ragan)
• The Hidden Resignation: Employees are Checking Out (Business Insider)
• Report: How Tech Workers See the Future of Remote Work (Indeed)
• PwC's US Remote Work Survey (PwC)
• Remote Working’s Longer Hours Are New Normal for Many (Bloomberg)
• Choosing the right remote talent strategy for your business (Medium)

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Flexible & Hybrid Work Models

• The Four-Day Work Week: Next Phase of the Work Revolution? (Brilliant Ink)
• How Hybrid Work Could Hurt Your Career (LinkedIn)
• 9 Out of 10 Organizations Are Switching to Hybrid Working (McKinsey)
• 4 Things You Need to Know About the Future of Work (Business Insider)
• How to navigate the post-pandemic office (New York Times)
• Companies moving to hybrid will face new challenges (Marketplace)

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Vaccinations & TESTING

• Vaccination & Testing Manager (Qualtrics)
• FAQs About the Biden Administration’s Vaccine Mandate (NY Times)
• CDC Relaxes Mask Guidance, but Employers Are Left Waiting on OSHA (HR Dive)
• Vaccines Should be Required, Say 70% of Employees (Glassdoor)
• Getting to work: Employers’ role in COVID-19 vaccination (McKinsey & Company)
• Workplace Vaccination Program (CDC)

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Culture

• WFH Doesn’t Have to Dilute Your Corporate Culture (Harvard Business Review)
• Imagine Your Flexible Office Work Future (Culture Study)
• COVID Killed the Traditional Workplace. What Now? (Harvard Business Review)
• A Remote Work Revolution Is Underway — But Not For Everyone (NPR)
• How to foster human connection in a hybrid workforce (Fast Company)
• What WFH Has Done to Our Relationships at Work (Harvard Business Review)
• Providing Employees with a More Holistic Experience Increases Employee Satisfaction by 15% (LA Business Journal)

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Tools & Technology

• The Rising Need of EX Platforms in a Digital-First World (Enterprise Talk)
• 3 steps to improve the digital workspace experience (Qualtrics)
• Legacy intranets aren't supporting remote work (Simpplr)
• Trello is getting out of to-do lists and into fixing the future of work (Protocol)
• How Do You Stay In Sync With Async Work? (Mural)
• The Best Free IC Tools for Collaboration, Productivity & Organization (Bananatag)
• Communications tech changes coming faster than ever (PR Daily)
• From Remote to Hybrid: The Tech You’ll Need (Wall Street Journal)

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Employee Well-Being & Belonging

• 6 Principles for Hybrid Work Wellbeing (Microsoft)
• Report: Impact of COVID on Working Women & How Employers Can Help (Indeed)
• Empathy And Belonging: The Gateways To A Human Workplace (Forbes)
• Here's How To Actually Help Women Of Color With Burnout (Forbes)
• The New Hybrid Work Model Will Require Hybrid Skills (Thrive)