No vaccine can stop the shift that’s currently taking place in the business world.
COVID-19 has forced multi-billion-dollar companies and small retail stores alike to rethink what it means to do business in the 21st Century.
While many employers and employees initially thought that moving to remote work was temporary, a significant number of businesses — including those in Columbus — are now signaling they don’t plan on fully returning to offices in a post-pandemic society.
A recent survey done by Global Workplace Analytics, a research and consulting firm that studies emerging workplace strategies, estimated that 25% to 30% of the U.S. workforce will be working remotely, at least part time, by the end of the year.
In some cases, by the request of their employees, companies are planning on offering hybrid options for work schedules once vaccination numbers reach a safe level.
In Columbus, Cummins, which employs about 8,000 people in the area and has several offices downtown, is one of those businesses exploring its options. Cummins spokesman Jon Mills recently told The Republic that the company is categorizing each role as fully on-site, fully remote or a hybrid between the two based on the nature of the work, “with the majority of roles being hybrid."
It’s good news that the downtown offices will still be used by Cummins, but also slightly concerning for other business owners that fewer feet will be in the city each day. In a smaller city like Columbus, having more downtown workers move to online work could significantly impact commerce.
At one point last year, Google reported that foot traffic to retailers and recreation sites dropped 48% in Bartholomew County compared to pre-pandemic levels. Local business owners have also said sales have been down as much as 30% to 60% due to the lack of Cummins workers in town.
Columbus might not resemble what it was before COVID-19 gripped the city, but it also isn’t a death sentence. The city is an attractive place to live for many, and will continue to bring people to the city thanks to its quality of life.
At the moment, legislators are trying to create incentives to have remote workers move to Indiana. House Bill 1416 would establish a remote worker grant program that would offer out-of-state individuals either up to $5,000 or $8,500 to relocate.
Additionally, many big cities — including Indianapolis — are seeing more skilled laborers move to smaller cities and more suburban areas.
The business world is changing, but Columbus will adapt — just like it always has.
