Working from home can be hard without the right tools and support. The trend now is to adapt one’s workspace as much as possible to suit one’s needs in terms of productivity and ergonomics.
For many, a large monitor, a comfortable chair and a great keyboard are enough, but some will have to take a few steps further.
For example, think of dubbing actors at Netflix assembling small soundproof booths in their closets, or employees in the textile industry receiving raw materials from courier companies and creating textiles at home.
Companies are expected to get used to providing the remote work tools employees need.
The line between professional and personal has been erased
The bookcase behind someone on all their video calls reveals to colleagues a lot about their personal life.
Colleagues may not have known that someone is a diehard Star Wars, anime, and Lord of the Rings fan. And then there are the well-known occasions when family members crash video calls.
Sometimes, working from home can mean that the separation between someone’s personal and professional life is gone, and this can create empathy.
And even when that loss of privacy goes beyond what was desired, those funny moments can be endearing and provide some comic relief from the circumstances people are living in.
The super digitalisation of work
Previously, when the possibilities for remote work were discussed, designers and programmers were the first to be thought of.
Now, personal trainers, psychologists, doctors, coaches, accountants and even nannies are downloading Zoom and Instagram Live to continue giving advice and consultations online, and everything suggests that a lot of professional and service providers will continue on the same path even after the pandemic because of the practicality and cost.
Depression and anxiety because of loneliness
If remote work raised concerns about isolation and depression when it was just an option, these feelings can be amplified by the global pandemic. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by these circumstances.
Workana understands that being far away does not have to mean being disconnected, and that is why virtual parties are hosted every Friday afternoon to raise everyone’s spirits and boost morale.
It’s worth emphasising the importance of physical activity, self-care, and keeping in touch with friends and family, even if it is just by video chat.
The great reskilling
Unemployment worldwide is at historic levels, especially in countries like the US where labour policies are more flexible and companies can easily hire and fire employees.
The current outlook is much worse than the Great Recession, with nearly six million people losing jobs in less than three months.
Some will recover the same jobs that they had before, but for others, those jobs will disappear.
Everyone will have to do an emergency reskilling to adapt to the market’s new demands and Workana is already working with institutions such as the Inter-American Development Bank to create new strategies to help these employees find a new place in the industry and continue building their careers.
How are businesses transforming?
While some companies are completely paralysed, others are relying on agile teams capable of adapting to an environment of uncertainty.
Agile work involves understanding the team’s abilities, setting short and ambitious goals, measuring, implementing, learning and growing. Companies keep moving.
In order to maintain this, it is vital to provide all the necessary technological tools (such as collaborative work software and freelance hiring platforms), quickly and efficiently to access certain skills or specialists with specific skill sets to finish specific projects when full-time employees cannot be hired.
Ultimately, in order to survive, it’s essential to create a flexible, dynamic workforce without borders. Work becomes an activity, not a place.
On the other hand, a lot of companies are adapting by opening online channels that give consumers direct access, combining business-to-consumer strategies with typically business-to-business models.
Factories and restaurants will be redesigned, there will be more online events, more robot and artificial intelligence development, services and products that can be offered online, “coronavirus-free” certificates in places, food and products, more private transport, contact-free payment and delivery and a long list of changes.
To stay competitive, companies must be ready to face these challenges.
Wanting to hire an entire team of professionals? Workana can help! Click here to find out how they can help your company grow with remote experts.