"The cultural behaviors are important to study the major emergency transformations that affect societies, such as the unprecedented prevalence of (Covid-19) disease, which humanity is currently facing," said Dhaen Shaheen, media adviser at the Dubai Culture Authority.

Shaheen explained that "culture is one of the most basic ways that shape how we live in the world. We are both biological and cultural beings, so when such a terrible disease spreads across large parts of the world, we can deal with that in biological and cultural ways."

Shaheen added to «Emirates Today»: «We, as societies that are not identical, may have cultural reactions of our own, dependent on the ability of our countries to respond to new emergency data created politically, economically and socially, and the composition of our societies with its various institutions, as well as the structure of our families and the way of our life, and the strength of our health system And economic, and we look at the risks before they happen, so the effect of the disease can be greater or less dependent on the ability to respond to the urgent emergency, and our system of procedures and behaviors ».

Shaheen explained that the historical moment or the historical turn that we are going through dictates that we should reconsider our changing present. “Among the changes that are taking place now is the clear push towards digital modernization that we observe and practice on a daily basis through our successive uses of online communication technologies. He invaded this disease and forced all people from the most of the globe to the maximum to stay in their homes, and imposing the conditions of social separation, this led to one of the challenges that turned into opportunities, which is remote work, through managing our daily work, teaching, shopping or buying our necessary nutritional needs , Via multiple applications or by mobile phone ».

New cultural behavior

And the media consultant at the Dubai Culture Authority went to cite the reference of the German researcher in directions and future, Matthew Horcks, that "social human intelligence" will help us in controlling the crisis the world is going through today, and he says that the forced physical distance will reinforce the new rapprochement, as humans began in various Societies communicate more intensively than before, via video chat, or by phone with old colleagues and friends, and many are asking about the conditions of their neighbors and whether they need service or help, and this in itself represents a cultural and social behavior change imposed by the facts of the new reality.

Shaheen added that, with the retreat of the world and its entry into the interior, the unique cultural ways in which countries deal with the pandemic (Covid-19) unfold, and each country announces its distinctive character in dealing with the pandemic, it was previously said that the true human personality appears only in crises, With the increase in precautionary measures to help slow the spread of the virus, one of the most interesting phenomena are the creative ways in which different cities and countries dealt with the epidemic, and define their own (quarantine culture). In Italy, the self-isolated residents were photographed singing and practicing opera from Their balconies, while the Belgians distributed famous pancakes and French fries across the country, while some people in Scandinavia are still training to work on bicycles.

On the UAE, the country of tolerance and humanity, as Shaheen described it, he said, “Citizens and residents chanted from the porches of their homes continuously the national anthem of the state, and they saluted the soldiers of the front lines, in addition to joining many large and large groups of young people and adults in volunteer societies to be in the service of the country, What reveals the culture of goodness and human giving, the personality and reputation of the Emirates, and its ability to transform challenges and difficulties into communication, goodness and opportunities for science, challenge, and action, in a way that takes us to the fact that sincere leaders, real people, attractive places, and established cultures make this world diversified and giving in a way that exceeds Imagination.

Open office engineering

Shaheen continues that «open office engineering will change to become separate offices, and cleaning stations equipped with hand sanitizer and anti-bacterial wipes are the base, and the popularity of graceful workplaces with unassigned seats decreases, so employees can recover safety and control the access to a personal space they come to every day Frequently, while touch fittings, such as door sensors, automatic sinks, soap dispensers and elevators, will be excluded. Architects may also design spaces with durable building materials, furniture, floors, and other surfaces that can withstand repeated deep cleaning, which is expected to be a constant necessity for a future workplace for years to come. ”

Mandatory medical examination, such as temperature tests, and antibody tests, will become the norm during work, and ready-made face masks will become a staple of an employee's wardrobe, although informal business will likely remain the norm in offices, and wearing a mask will become The face around the office is common, and this is an opportunity for textile companies and factories to innovate on how to make masks more protective, comfortable and elegant. Researchers in human resources departments believe that the standard working hours, which reach nine working hours, will become a thing of the past, while professionals deal with the requirements of working and domestic life in the same place, many employers will ease the rules related to starting and ending working hours in specific time. They point out that a new standard on trust and respect will be found in the ways in which employers will manage their employees, as it will be difficult for them to deny flexibility around working hours, especially for employees who work in information technology and technology, for most office work, you can, as they say, do By working remotely completely, and with technology, you can build your business according to your schedule.

To maintain a sense of location, business owners must set expectations when they need everyone in the office, and employees and managers will have to work closely together to ensure that no one is under pressure to respond to emails and messages at all hours of the day. Pre-programming and communicating through "Zoom" and "Microsoft Teams" programs, a balance will be created between working and personal times. Hence, a more flexible work culture can also create more equity in the home, where both men and women can have fun with their families, as many men also prefer flexible options assuming that they have enjoyed time at home with their children, although A variety of work options will not solve all equity issues, as some Scandinavian countries have already begun to create and introduce a more gender-balanced culture.

Middle management jobs faded

Shaheen adds that «experts in human resources policies believe that the coming years may herald a new storm after the disappearance of a pandemic (Covid-19) based on emptying the middle job management layer, which had happened previously, and that happened during the global financial crisis in 2008 after the institutions withdrew all Types of middle management classes, which is one of the reasons that slow wage growth even as the economy reaches new heights.

But despite that, as he continues, some people remain optimistic that the demand for first-class managers will revive once the epidemic subsides, because companies will want to emphasize productivity, as the specter of the financial crisis has remained in front of those institutions, which have become aware of the extent of their mistake in the accumulation One of the concerns of a fragile management structure is that it will require fewer managers to oversee a larger volume of direct reporting, which leaves room for error, lack of oversight and mismanagement.

Automation acceleration

While future experts have warned about "robots that steal jobs", the media consultant at the Dubai Culture Authority believes that the pandemic of "Covid 19" has increased the automation fears that will replace the jobs of workers due to the measures of social divergence, as many restaurants and cafes have been forced Retailers will find ways to work with the fewest number of employees physically present. He added that «experts in human resources policies believe that the Corona virus has caused some work trends such as (automation) to accelerate. In theory, unemployed employees may be willing to accept lower-paying jobs, but they may need to develop new skills, in order to Finding new jobs, and what we are seeing today is the great need for skills and massive retraining for the unemployed or future youth in the field of work. ” In answering a question: “Will companies and institutions become digital faster?” And “Are we looking for collective unemployment affecting the countries of the world?” Shaheen sees that there may be an increasing demand to close the digital divide, in a great country like the United States of America we find that Nearly 21 million Americans lack access to the Internet, according to the FCC, and some reports estimate this number to be higher, meaning that millions of workers, regardless of industry, are simply unable to work remotely.

New muscles to work

In response to a question about the other changes that we will see in the coming months or years, the media consultant at the Dubai Culture Authority, Dhaen Shaheen, concludes that the office culture started within a short, fast and amazing period, with erosion and melting, after most of the meetings were replaced by e-mail and instant messages, And the new means of communication through "Zoom" and "Microsoft Times" programs, and other practical programs capable of networking. The epidemic was a technology equivalent of some kind, as people who were not used to using technical tools in the workplace had no choice. Except for adaptation, in some cases some of them became more efficient, and thanks to business continuity everyone started building new muscles for work.

To this end, Shaheen sees that “there has become a work culture that looks seriously for the future. Communication with everyone has become more flexible for team members, who no longer work together in a central office. Phone calls and meetings have moved to video, which helped build confidence between Employees, who previously did not have the ability to interact personally, when a person is able to recognize non-verbal cues, or is invited via video chat, he has a kind of intimacy in a way that is faster than what happens in a traditional work environment. ”

"Culture is one of the most fundamental ways that shape how we live in the world."

"The culture of the offices started within a short period of time, quickly and amazingly, to erode and melt."

"The system of procedures and behaviors, during the pandemic, cultivated a new culture."

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