There are approximately 420 employees at the Raleigh Nationwide Insurance office, who will shift to remote working. New research shows nearly half of employees who could do their job remotely, will do so after the coronavirus crisis.
WE'LL KEEP AN EYE ON THAT AND SEE IF THAT CONTINUES TOMORROW. BACK TO YOU. >>> AS MORE OF THE STATE REOPENS, MANY OF US WILL HAVE TO RETURN TO THE OFFICE. MANY, NOT ALL. >> TONIGHT, WHAT OFFICES COULD LOOK LIKE AFTER THE OUTBREAK. WRAL'S SLOANE HEFFERNAN IS LIVE IN RALEIGH WITH TWO DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO KEEP WORKERS SAFE. >> Reporter: THIS REGIONAL NATIONWIDE INSURANCE OFFICE THAT EMPLOYS ABOUT 420 PEOPLE WILL SOON CLOSE AND SHIFT TO WORKING REMOTELY, BUT WHAT ABOUT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE TO GO TO WORK? A DURHAM COMPANY IS HOPING TO HELP BUSINESSES KEEP THEIR EMPLOYEES SAFE. INSIDE NEW CONCEPTS IN DURHAM, THEY'RE CREATING SOCIAL DISTANCING SOLUTIONS FOR THE WORK PLACE. >> IN ORDER FOR PEOPLE TO BEGIN TO GO BACK TO WORK, WE WERE FACING A NEW NORMAL. >> Reporter: NEW CONCEPTS PRIMARILY A TRADE SHOW DESIGN COMPANY SHIFTED ITS FOCUS AFTER THE OUTBREAK AND IS NOW CREATING BARRIERS MADE OUT OF PLEXIGLASS THAT CAN BE USED ANYWHERE FROM A RECEPTION AREA TO OFFICE CUBICLES. >> THE LAST THING YOU WANT IS TO BRING YOUR EMPLOYEES BACK, HAVE ONE PERSON END UP BEING POSITIVE AND THEN SPREAD IT TO THE REST OF YOUR EMPLOYEES. >> Reporter: NOT EVERYONE WILL BE HEADING BACK TO THE OFFICE. THE PARKING LOT AT THIS NATIONWIDE INSURANCE REGIONAL OFFICE IN RALEIGH WILL REMAIN EMPTY INDEFINITELY AS THE COMPANY ANNOUNCED A PERMANENT SHIFT TO REMOTE WORK. >> WHAT COMPANIES ARE FINDING NOW IS THAT IT'S ACTUALLY A LOT CHEAPER TO HAVE YOUR WORK FORCE WORK REMOTE THAN COME INTO AN EXPENSIVE OFFICE SPACE. >> Reporter: A NATIONAL SURVEY FOUND 48%, NEARLY HALF OF ALL EMPLOYEES THAT CAN WORK REMOTELY WILL CONTINUE TO SO AFTER COVID-19 COMPARED TO 30% PREPANDEMIC. >> THERE ARE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES THAT LIKE THE FLEXIBILITY WITH WORKING REMOTE. >> Reporter: WHETHER IT'S WORKING FROM HOME OR BACK AT THE OFFICE, BOTH WILL LIKELY BE DONE AT A DISTANCE. A SPOKESMAN FOR NATIONWIDE TELLS ME THAT THERE ARE NO MAJOR JOB CUTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CLOSING OF THE REGIONAL OFFICE HERE ON CREEDMOOR ROAD IN RALEIGH. HE SAID NO NATIONWIDE INSURANCE AGENCIES WILL BE IMPACTED. BACK TO YOU. >> FASCINATING WORK AND FASCINATING RESEARCH.
