If there is one thing that the pandemic has proven is that remote work is possible. And as Victor Hugo once wrote, “There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that is an idea whose time has come.” In less than one year, the pandemic revolutionized the work industry.
Homes got filled with office furniture like desks and swivel chairs. And even our old men who always run away from anything technology had to immerse themselves in learning how to use the online platforms. The quick learners learned to ask “can you hear me?” before they started their online conversations. Slow learners had to deal with the anger of re- reading entire speeches just because they forgot to turn on their microphones. Sometimes the presenters had to pause the meetings to attend to their crying babies or to notify other house users that they were having an online meeting and they better keep off.
While some companies have relished the change that remote work has brought to the industry, others remain fearful of the implications that it will bring along. Employers are restructuring their workflow and thinking of new ways to ensure seamless team work and quick communication amidst the new working conditions. Meanwhile, employees continue to enjoy the benefits that come with remote work. Like reduced transport costs and saved hours that could have otherwise been lost in traffic snarl ups.
Mothers with child care needs may have been the biggest winners. They are playing the “remote work” song on repeat. Working from home has offered them a chance to work as they also take care of their kids.
From what began as a pure shift to remote working, companies later recalled back their work forces and are now blending the two.
As the new real estate merchants continue beating their rivals in the market by providing work spaces in their new homes, companies continue to reap huge profits as they provide tools that make remote work feasible. Like fast and reliable internet. Managers are taking management courses on how to manage remote teams and success in the work place is being measured by different standards. Not the hours you worked but the tasks that you completed.
One thing remains clear however, there are people who will never go back to working from their offices again. Companies can now hire people from all corners of the world and workers can work from anywhere they want. That’s the one power remote work has given people and they are not ready to relinquish it. Companies can now tap talented workers from anywhere in the world to work remotely for them.
Will remote work onset the urban-rural migration? Will remote workers ask for location based salaries or commissions? Will top companies lure top talents to working for them by offering them the option to work remotely? Remote work has hit the runway and only time will tell if it will take off successfully. If it does, things will never be the same again!