Re: Will home-office become more popular, even after the virus goes? Quote:
Originally Posted by blackwasp However, will companies think about continuing WFH going forward? Will they see the cost / productivity advantages and incorporate a full / partial WFH for all or insist of reporting to the office? | Quote:
Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao .What the current situation has done is provide a large-scale live test that most organizations may not have conducted of their own volition, so now decisions can be made on objective information instead of guesswork, cultural assumptions and individual biases. | Quote:
Originally Posted by akshaymahajan .I am hoping that people manager's become a little more open to the idea of WFH and employees after this forced WFH, can differentiate between using and abusing WFH. I am curious though whether this would also lead to more freelance/contractor opportunities? | Quote:
Originally Posted by Eddy We do not have enough space in the house where all 4 us can be on calls simultaneously. The poor mobile signal in 2 of the 5 rooms does not help either. | Quote:
Originally Posted by procrastinator Choosing long term WFH should be given to the employee. Results can be monitored by supervisors to continue the telecommute or not.To answer the question: Yes, it will. There are tweaks planned as I learn what is required to be efficient and productive at home | Quote:
Originally Posted by chieftain Productivity certainly seems to be bolstered by WFH, per the following studies. I think this pandemic has proven it COULD be done, and research shows it SHOULD be done, so perhaps it will be done. (I have some concerns about work-life intruding on personal life, though.) | Quote:
Originally Posted by V.Narayan WFH can only be reasonably applied in an organization that in one or the other way revolves around IT. | Quote:
Originally Posted by vb-san Some organizations may continue to encourage WFH even after the situation is over – firstly many the employees would have got tuned to this option, and secondly it is a saving for the company as well (infrastructure and office space). | Quote:
Originally Posted by ast.ggn Though I am not directly related to shop floor, work from home was never an option for me before nor it will be in future once this lockdown is over. My team is working from home right now, having online meetings etc. and doing our best with whatever we can but I doubt it is sustainable even for us. (non shop floor junta). | Quote:
Originally Posted by libranof1987 As the popular memes going around suggest, now we know which meeting could have been an email or phone call. . I do think that this situation has reminded everyone what is essential and non-essential travel. So, I do expect business travel to reduce. | Quote:
Originally Posted by vibbs I think it had something to do with the culture in India. When I relocated to Singapore, I could see a marked difference in this aspect but still I felt not at the level it is in Western world. I am hopeful a lot of people and the management across various companies will realize this advantage and Work from home |
Summarizing common themes in your posts : Applicability & Effectiveness of WFH: Covid19 has provided a large-scale live test for WFH, as Chetan-Rao says, which will generate qualitative data on pros & cons across regions, industries, and competencies. The related info and inferences will be a yardstick for continuance of WHF after normalcy returns.
This lockdown will shine a light on jobs where, it turns out, part-time WHF is not just possible but smarter and more satisfying. The challenge for organizations will be establishing tools & processes that assess the quality and efficiency of work-output + employee morale. And do away with the conventional measurement of time spent on a daily or weekly basis.
The employee perspective: There will be instances when personal preferences or lack of space, as Eddy reports, will render many of us non-supportive of WFH even when our work \ organizations permit. And Vice-versa. This is why employee inputs ought to be an integral part of WFH policy discussions. On the flip side, many of us will now reassess our choices for space and amenities in our residences - for ourselves and family members.
3. Large-scale WFH when normalcy returns? Individuals and organizations will have a better handle on meetings, reports, processes & competencies (and potentially individuals) that add real value to their operations. The more progressive ones will drive change toward improvement. I agree with libranof1987 that business travel will reduce as organizations strive to contain expenses. However, in the longer-term competitive-advantage will dictate the extent to which business travel can be made remote. Not just business travel but most elements related to continuance of WFH will be dictated by competitive-advantage and costs if bottom-lines dictate policy. This is why employee satisfaction/retention/development ought to be considered in WFH decisions.
Considering human-nature to choose the path of least resistance, it is within the realm of possibility that things go back to the way they were.
From my perspective, an ideal outcome would be for business and civil-administration leaders to review WFH (or mobile-office) and other aspects related to work-life balance, with qualitative data, and drive change in organizations and civil-society focusing not just on financial outcomes but on human well-being and the well-being of our planet. |