Creating a Culture of Innovation: How Businesses Used the COVID-19 Pandemic to Change the Future Workplace

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore how companies used creativity to adapt to the remote work environment, due to the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic lockdown. The information in this paper can help technical communicators understand how audiences have changed the way they are consuming information, learn how creativity is essential in the field of technical communication, and recognize how the pandemic has shaped the future workplace – all of which will help technical communicators in connecting with audiences and performing their jobs more effectively and efficiently. This paper examines literature on the pandemic’s influence on the workplace, the creativity and innovation process, how businesses innovated to meet the needs of their customers, personal interviews with employees across a variety of industries on their experience with the changing work environment, and finally how these innovations will impact the workplace of the future. My analysis shows that companies got creative in the way they communicate with employees and clients, which unexpectedly strengthened relationships. Employees struggled with the new remote work environment, so companies made it a priority to help employees find a new balance and create virtual socialization opportunities, in order to avoid employee burn out. My analysis concludes with the argument that companies being forced to work differently during the pandemic has forever changed the future workplace. The virtual environment has changed the mindset of businesses in the way they operate with employees and their clients, spurring creativity and the start of a more innovative culture. It is important now more than ever for technical communicators to understand their audiences, to learn how to adapt to a virtual work environment, and to prepare for the future.