How the world of work and energy are changing post-COVID

One third of Europe’s workload could be performed remotely post-pandemic, according to a McKinsey & Company survey. In the UK, the figure is even higher at up to 46%, while more than half of UK workers surveyed said they had found a better work-life balance through homeworking.

The numbers point to a continuation of homeworking in some form even as COVID-19 restrictions ease, leaving businesses to consider permanent changes to the way they operate.

Homeworking is not for everyone or every role − as Centrica’s colleagues can attest − and it has created some significant challenges. 

“Communication has become one of the biggest challenges due to COVID,” says Greg McKenna, MD of Centrica Business Solutions.      

“The lack of interaction with our colleagues, the inability to meet them face to face and conduct informal conversations where information is passed around, decisions are made and you get to find out about things… that has been a real challenge.”

However, as well as challenges, the changes to the way we work have also created opportunities, especially when it comes to energy.

Harnessing the power of data

From small companies to major industrial facilities, many energy users are permanently changing their consumption habits after the pandemic. COVID-19 has reduced long-term global energy demand by 2.5 million barrels each day, according to S&P Global research, as people seek cleaner and more efficient energy.

“The way we relate to energy has changed forever,” says Geronimo Martinez, CEO and co-founder of Mexico-based digital energy specialist S2G Energy.

“There is a combination of energy efficiency, distributed power generation and electromobility that promises a new level of intensity in electric energy use. But also how the consumer is relating to that process is changing… in the large consumers, but also in everyday people’s lives.”

For Geronimo, whose company specialises in harnessing the power of data and the Internet of Things (IoT) to improve its customers’ energy efficiency, digital tools and analytics offer the way to best understand this changing relationship. He also believes that the data can clearly make the case for more sustainable energy use.

“There is a strong articulation of how energy efficiency can play out positively, for everybody looking to save money, to bring sustainability and, of course, to navigate the rough waters of the pandemic situation,“ says Geronimo. 

Greg McKenna adds that, beyond COVID-19 and not just in the energy sector, harnessing the power of data can also help business leaders to be better prepared and more resilient in the future.

“We don’t know when the next crisis will be,” he says.

“But as business leaders, it’s important to remain agile, look at your processes, your systems and how you make decisions. Look at how you store data, how you access data and who has access to that data, so that you can make the right decisions and trust people to make the right decisions for you.”