Coronavirus Makes Work from Home the New Normal

Two new employees arrived at SquareFoot, a New York City commercial realty company, in March to begin their first day. Their orientation was not typical.

The open-space office would have been busy at any other time, and the 70 or so employees would have welcomed the newcomers with open arms. Eugenie Fanning is the company's vice-president of people. Because of the coronavirus epidemic, employees were asked to work from home. This meant that only a small number of staff was available to greet new coworkers. After finishing some paperwork, workers were given laptops and sent home to get acquainted with their new jobs. They also got to meet their coworkers via videoconferencing.

SquareFoot will be welcoming a new group of workers in April. No one knows when they'll meet their coworkers face-to-face.

Fanning says, "We're just about going to send them the laptops directly to their homes," Fanning explains. Fanning's company had decided to close the office in mid-March until the virus threat is gone.

 Apple, Google, and Microsoft, which have large populations in Seattle and other areas affected by the pandemic, were among the first to offer remote work plans for their employees.

In a blog post on March 5, Jared Spataro, Microsoft vice president, wrote that "Here at Microsoft, the Puget Sound we're encouraging teams to work from home as often as possible." 

TECHNOLOGY TRAVELS

Microsoft may have found it easier to send thousands of workers home because of the familiarity of its employees with Microsoft Teams. This product suite ties together video conferencing software and makes it easy for workers to share files and collaborate, even if they live thousands of miles apart.

However, it has been difficult for companies not in the tech sector or those whose health officials have not ordered yet to implement a social-distancing protocol requiring employees to work from home. As a result, only 15% of Americans had days when they worked only at home.

"Working at home is a part of their DNA." However, she says that most companies do not have the resources or budget to embrace remote work fully.

TA has had a flexible work policy for many years. However, it is mainly intended to deal with short-term circumstances such as a snowstorm and sick children. Conroy states that the majority of 170 employees of TA are used to working at the headquarters.

She says, "We have a very team-oriented cultural." "We want to ensure that our culture is maintained."

Like many private sector employers, TA leaders had been monitoring the news about the spreading virus in early March. They notified their employees ahead of any possible closure of the physical office. The final decision was reached in the middle of March. However, before that, employees were encouraged to use e-mail to socially disengage, even though it might have been easier to hand a piece to someone down the hall. Workers who didn't have laptops were given them.

Reporters received a refresher course in videoconferencing and chats for conducting interviews. People managers were also trained on how to use the technology to replace in-office meetings. 

Instead of distributing videoconferencing equipment among its scattered faculty, the school suggested that instructors purchased the equipment and promised to reimburse them. The law school's intranet included equipment recommendations and detailed instructions. Faculty who need additional assistance recording classes or conducting live lectures in front of cameras can still visit campus to meet with a media specialist.

Hank Molinengo is GW's senior associate for administrative affairs. He says, "The idea of trying to prevent the virus from spreading and keep everybody safe while holding as many classes possible."

Chief human resources officer, F5 Networks Inc. was able to respond to the crisis by having a clear work-at-home policy in place and a good understanding of its computer capabilities. After a significant number of coronavirus cases in these areas, the technical services provider encouraged thousands of workers to work from home in Seattle and San Francisco. Since then, the company has closed all its physical offices around the world.

FLEXIBILITY Is Key

F5 had been embracing flexible workplace arrangements long before the outbreak. This was to boost employee motivation and encourage work/life balance. White states that flexibility is a crucial component of worker safety.

She says, "I'm so happy we rolled out [flexible workplace arrangements] as it helped us tremendously with the changes due to COVID-19." We are continuing to learn from the [flexible workplace] program as most of our employees work from home in areas affected by COVID-19.

PRACTICAL ADVICE

Initiate an information command center and chief communicator. Employees need information more than ever. Mari Anne Snow, chief executive officer of Boston-based Sophaya and Remote Nation, offers remote work products. "You need someone who is focused on working with distributed groups," she says. In addition, she advises that you choose someone who can discuss and reduce employee anxiety and address logistical concerns.

Your productivity mindset needs to change. A flexible workplace consulting firm, says it is unrealistic to believe we can keep pre-coronavirus productivity levels. Instead, "focus on keeping everyone healthy and safe while maintaining maximum productivity."

Use what you already have. Organizations that have a history of teleworking will likely have spent many years creating policies and procedures. 

Secure your data. You can never be too late to ensure your computer is secure. Rollinson suggests that you offer a crash course in cybersecurity. She adds that you don't want people to connect to Starbucks with their laptops. To assist workers with technical issues and security, keep an IT specialist on hand.

Be consistent and fair in applying policies. Telework policies that hurt legally protected groups like women and racial minorities can make you more vulnerable to discrimination claims. For example, many states require employers to allow telework and, in some cases, to reduce the number of employees and capacity.

An employer can decide that specific jobs are suitable for remote work, but it is not illegal. 

Sources:

https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/all-things-work/pages/remote-work-has-become-the-new-normal.aspx

https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/covid-19-impact-is-work-from-home-the-new-normal/1981037/