This week in Austin, we brought together business and policy leaders to talk about how the pandemic has transformed our working lives and what these changes mean for the future of the workforce. 

At the core of any workplace, is the workforce — the people who keep our grocery shelves stocked, hospitals staffed and students educated. Movements like the Great Resignation or the Great Reshuffle point to a workforce rethinking their relationship with work. 

But the pandemic also blurred the boundaries between work life and home life, making it harder for us to disconnect. 

At our event, we asked attendees to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the future of the workforce. We focused on three main questions and asked folks to be honest, vulnerable and, most importantly, to think big:  

1. What are the changes that have served you and that you hope are here to stay? 
2. What policies, practices or norms haven’t served you and should be left behind? 
3. What ideas do you want to try or explore in the workplace?

And although our attendees and viewers come from many different professions and communities, we saw a lot of the same sentiments reflected in their responses.

Here are a few themes:

Changes to keep:

• Less pressure around physical appearances
• Hybrid and remote work
• Flexibility
• Being able to work from home (or wherever is needed)
• An increased focus on equity 

Changes to leave behind:

• Too many meetings
• The expectation of constant availability and lack of boundaries between home and work
• Always being on camera

Changes to consider:

• Mentorship and training programs that are sponsored by your employer
• Subsidized child care
• Increased mental health resources for employees

If you missed the event, you can watch it here or below. And if any of this has resonated with you, please let us know. Even if you couldn’t attend the event, we’d love to hear what changes you would like to keep or change.