Remote working. Once seen as a luxury or something to be enjoyed for a perfect dose of work-life balance, has now become a necessity for many office workers.
No one could have seen it coming. The changes over the past few months have been drastic to say the least and unfortunately, many businesses are taking a hit. It’s not premature to say that things were always heading towards remote team collaborations. However, the dreaded word and number combination known as Covid-19 has abruptly forced businesses and individuals to make the rapid switch.
During the past few weeks, we are sure you’ve experienced your fair share of ups and downs with this sudden change. After all, the implementations of rolling everything out remotely are more in-depth than companies and management could have predicted.
Moreover, this article will be focusing on whether these changes will stick around in the long-term and whether companies have been adapting work practices efficiently as a result of the pandemic.
The new landscape of work
Many of us don’t know how this looks post-quarantine. That being said, the majority have had to adapt their working practices in one way or another. Whether you’re in customer-facing roles which have been supplied with PPE (personal protective equipment) in order to work safely or you’ve moved your office to your home, we’ve all had to adapt our work in some shape or form.
Implications on businesses in 2020
The real question on everyone’s mind currently is, ‘will remote working stick around long-term’?
There will be several important aspects to consider from management and sufficient time taken for planning in order to successfully implement remote working practices in the short to long-term future.
From an outside perspective, it seems as though a lot of us are knuckling down and dealing well with making our kitchen table the new workplace. Unfortunately though, recent research by tech PR agency Tytopr suggests there is still a long way to go.
Currently, it seems as though there is a disconnect between employers and employees. With only 14% of the UK office work force being able to work from home during the outbreak, only 36% believe their employers are ready for compulsory home working. However, the majority do not feel as though their company has the technological framework to help them work productively and still be secure at home.
Incorporating some of the below elements could help take remote working to the next level:
- Implementing solid structures and frameworks
Remote work is only as good as the foundation and frameworks in place to support efficient workflow and avoid frustrations. Having the tools is great but they need to be used to their fullest extent and successfully migrated with clear directions from managers who are committed to the progress.
- Higher security measures
Companies also need to step-up security measures when everything is remote. With viruses and cybercrime on the rise, there needs to be the right tools in place so employees feel secure when working remote going forwards.
- Better work life balance
With both work and pleasure being in the same building for now, many employees are struggling to differentiate their work life and their home life. Adequate communication needs to happen on a consistent basis within teams and management to ensure staff are remaining productive without over-doing it. Ensuring leaders and management give extra care and time to noticing their employees needs will never go amiss.
Whether your company has shifted its workload remote or you’re still shuffling to your office suited in all the protective armour you can gather, it’s hard to ignore that the way we work is changing. We’d love to hear your own personal experiences of the remote-work shift and if you think it’s here to stay for the long-haul?
