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Despite remote work’s rise during the pandemic, offices endure as sought-after spaces in the business world.

Your return to the office could involve some pandemic-related culture shock. Interactions you once took for granted, like getting into an elevator with your colleagues or shaking your boss’ hand, may now seem painfully uncomfortable and confusing.

There have been many changes to the American workplace and the men and women who work in it. Since March 2020, many of these, if not most of these changes, have been attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet even before the pandemic a social evolution was taking place that impacted where Americans lived and worked.

Moving is always stressful. In fact, on a one-to-ten scale, moving ranks with breaking up or getting a divorce.

During the past year and a half, we’ve endured a worldwide pandemic that has challenged our physical well-being, the productivity of our workforce, the stability of our economy, and the mental health of millions of men, women, and children. Fortunately, the pandemic seems to be loosening its grip and allowing us to regain some sense of normalcy. But Covid-19 was only one of the dangers we’ve been facing during the last few years. Another has been, and continues to be, cyberattacks on the communications and operations systems of industries around the world.

It’s become clear that there have been many changes in our lives since the pandemic hit our country in 2020. Furthermore, these changes, even those that were assumed to be temporary when they were first introduced, have impacted us for the long term. Our work life is perhaps the most obvious and pervasive example.

According to an article by Stephanie Heiple, “Organizational Culture Implications on Office Design and Employee Performance,” the concept that each company has a culture is a relatively new idea.

Alter condemns the assault on our democracy that occurred on January 6th.

This Op-ed originally appeared in Crain's Chicago Business

Our company was pleased this Spring to announce a 101,900 SF corporate headquarters for Nextiva, Inc., one of the nation’s largest business communications companies.