The concept of remote working started to gain notoriety within the last six years, as corporations such as Hilton, Williams-Sonoma, and American Express, have invested in this new approach to work.
COVID-19 has accelerated this new model by revolutionizing the modern business world, forcing companies globally to adapt to this new wave in employment. Current trends have proven the shift from a traditional workspace to a home office garners increased productivity in workers, higher employee performance rates, and stronger business engagement. Now that more and more professionals are partaking in a work-from-home model, many are wondering if the current health crisis has brought upon a new change in the business world. Jack Dorsey, co-founder and CEO of Twitter, has publicly notified staff of his decision to allow them to work from home permanently; that is if the employee chooses to do so. This will only be the beginning of corporations announcing plans to shift their workers into a remote setting.
Will the future of work become even more remote? For most, it already has.
The fidelity of the experience.
Though the advantages of remote working certainly seem to outweigh the negative, there will still be a period of adjustment in terms of roles and responsibilities. The fixation on where the work is done will become obsolete, with managers focusing more on the quality of their employees’ contributions. Managers will start to measure their teams’ value, providing a meritocracy to invest in workers based on their talents, efforts, and achievements. Trust is another important component of the boss vs. employee dynamic, as leaders today will need to instill a higher level of confidence in their department, relying more so on the outputs of their team, rather than their presence in an office. These enhanced relationships will greatly impact personnel and their ability to not only adapt, but to learn more efficiently. Remote training will become more readily available, providing guidance in time management, assisting with adjustment to modern technology, and boosting communication skills amongst the entire team. This is a profound advantage for both the remote worker, as well as the organization.
Remote working and training won’t be the only change in the modern world, as hiring remote workers will become increasingly popular, focusing on workers’ output rather than their zip code. Individuals from all over the world will have ample opportunity to land their dream job without the challenges of re-locating or long commutes. In turn, this will benefit companies as it broadens the pool of talent, with fewer restrictions on location, and more focus on the candidate.
Disruption equals opportunity.
There are endless detriments to a state-wide stay at home order. The restrictions on seeing loved ones, traveling, and even modest outings such as catching a movie are the grim realities of a global pandemic. While it’s easy to focus on the hardships, history has proved time and again that the darkest periods often bring about the most innovation. Wars have contributed to advancements in modern medicine, and plagues have resulted in some of the most timeless works of art and literature. COVID-19 will surely be no different. The rise of starting a home business or franchise will surely flourish as individuals will hone in on their hobbies and passions and look towards creating a business from their joys. Entrepreneurs, notoriously resilient in nature, will ultimately prosper through times like these, taking creative control on new ideas, start-ups, and crafts.
The impact of customer relations.
Zoom and other video conferencing platforms have changed the core of business communications for good. Sales reps and professional home services have dramatically changed the ways in which they connect with customers, offering digital tutorials, servicing, and follow up opportunities. Businesses that once relied on travel for client relations can now double or triple their networking efforts but by utilizing technological services such as Zoom, or traditional phone conversations. This has proved to not only save a tremendous amount of money in travel fees but has opened a time portal, allowing for more opportunities in one day to connect and build relationships than in the past. Omitting the need to see a client face-to-face has still produced budding professional rapport without the expenses and time restraints.
Technology will only enhance from here.
With social distancing put in place, companies that offer home servicing to set up routers, cable and internet, and more, will shift focus on how they build their equipment. The future of TV streaming and Wifi will rely on technology that is simple and secure yet provide high performance. Other avenues to consider are industries that rely on high-tech servers, privacy and security, and artificial intelligence.
With the many expected changes set to revolutionize the modern workplace, a post-COVID-19 world, though uncertain, provides a wide array of opportunities, room for growth, and excitement for the future. The idea of work is transforming from a traditional 9-5 office space, to a flexible and freeing mindset that proves once and for all – work isn’t a destination, but a way of life.
As Global CEO, Jed Ayres leads IGEL’s seasoned team of executive leaders as the company works to align with the world’s most prominent cloud providers to transform end user computing by simplifying and securing the cloud-delivery of all needed applications and resources. Ayres brings more than 20 years of technology experience to IGEL and has a wide range of industry experience across workspace management, virtualization and mobility.