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work very differently from earlier rigid organization bureaucracy. This is stated in the article “What’s NXT: Arbetslivet och kontoren bortom pandemin” by Kairos Future. The same can be said for burnouts. The seeds were planted before COVID-19 hit, and even then many workers were already experiencing high levels of it, writes Moss. The pandemic was simply an accelerant. “If we can identify organizational signals of stress then there is hope for the future. The best moment to make a move is when everything is up for grabs. It’s time to turn the change that was inevitable into the change that was always possible,” she writes. Factors to change this includes feeling a sense of purpose, having a manageable workload, feeling that you can discuss your mental health at work, having an empathic manager and having a strong sense of connection to family and friends. Kairos Future has in its article suggested that our offices will become more flexible, magnetic and extended in the future. They will not stand empty but people will come in a few days a week instead of every day. ”COVID-19 has proven to many that it is possible to work from home, but it has also shown me that the ideal is a balance of working from home and coming into the office. Isolated at home, I am very eager to finally be able to spend time at the office with my amazing colleagues, in meetings, workshops, ideating and sparring – with a fika once in a while,” says Evris Michalopoulos. The Kairos Future article also stated that the offices of tomorrow must be able to attract people in a new way, they must provide light, ventilation etc., but also flexibility and smart working solutions. The authors of the report also believe that co-working spaces will also probably be extended to suburbs, smaller cities etc. “THERE IS NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL APPROACH WHEN IT COMES TO THE REMOTE WORK DISCUSSION. A CONTINUED DIALOGUE WITH EMPLOYEES MUST TAKE PLACE TO FIND THE OPTIMAL SOLUTION FOR EVERYONE.“ – CLAIRE WHARTON In order for employers to create an attractive workplace for engineers in the future Ulrika Lindstrand believes that it will take responsiveness and clarity in the systematic work environment development. “The employer needs to be adaptable and adopt new ways of organizing work tasks so that it is possible to combine a good and sustainable work environment with increased flexibility for the individual. One condition in order to succeed in this transition is a good cooperation with local union representatives and safety officers,” she says. Claire Wharton, Senior Recruitment Manager, PharmaRelations There is no one size fits all approach when it comes to the remote work discussion, believes Claire Wharton. “A continued dialogue with employees must take place to find the optimal solution for everyone. Tech organizations made this transition some time ago, for numerous reasons including, but not limited to, cost savings and reduced environmental impact,” she says. “Whilst we wait anxiously by the sidelines for vaccines to take effect, for economies to reopen and for life to return to some form of normality, the structural shift in terms of where work takes place has already happened and is probably here to stay – companies acknowledgement of this and the ability to find balance between the former and the new ”normal” will be key,” says Wharton. NLS 80 NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG