Posted by: TAZ Networks on April 3, 2020 at 12:30 pm
We hope, by now, that your essential workers are identified and protected, all your other staff is working from home, and that you’ve put any who can’t work right now in touch with financial resources to get through these tough times. (See links at the end of this post for Michigan resources for individuals and small businesses.)
If you still need help getting your team set up remotely, give us a call today. Most of our clients are settled in, and we have bandwidth to help other small businesses in Michigan get up to speed remotely.
What is the future of work and business after COVID-19 and the coronavirus pandemic?
(Spoiler alert for a kids’ movie that came out in 2003…) At the end of the movie Finding Nemo, the fish who were desperately trying to escape from a tank in a dentist’s office are floating in the open water, still inside their little plastic bags. As their leader calmly surveys the future with a satisfied smile, one of the other fish asks, “Now what?”
Now what indeed? What is the future of work, of business, in this altered landscape? Will the way we do business change? Will worker demands change? What are experts saying, and what are some steps you can take to prepare?
What Experts Are Saying About the Future of Work
Remote work. Many experts think that remote work is here to stay. After all, thousands of companies across the state were able to transition their staff from in-office to at home within days. That’s pretty phenomenal.
Fast Company notes that, “Many entrepreneurs… founded their companies with remote work practices in mind.
One of these is Shanna Tellerman, CEO of Modsy. She says “Our remote employees rank 5% higher than office employees when asked if they know what is expected of them at work.” This is after careful planning and communication to clarify roles and expectations with remote staff. So, communication and preparation are essential for a successful transition.
Employee demands. TechRepublic believes it’s going to be hard for a lot of people to go back into the office after experiencing working remotely. Simply eliminating the everyday commute allows for more family time while greatly lowering the carbon footprint. Working from home often allows more flexibility in child care schedules and personal projects.
What TAZ Networks Recommends to Prepare for the Future
Cloud. Cloud cloud cloud cloud. It is simply the easiest, fastest way to get an entire team working remotely. Our clients who were already using a cloud-based network were able to adapt almost seamlessly to Michigan Executive Order 2020-21.
What are the odds of another pandemic racing around the globe in the near future? Probably pretty low. Despite that, every single business in Michigan is at risk of losing physical access to their building. In recent memory, we’ve had catastrophic flooding in downtown Lansing, tornadoes in Fenton and Dexter, widespread power outages, and fires everywhere and anywhere.
Reduced office space. No business owner wants to pay for more space than they need. This truth has led to open offices, “hot-desking,” and other trends with varying success. However, some businesses have gone partially or even fully remote. You probably already have sales reps or other traveling staff who work from the road. Could more of your staff work from home to help reduce costs for your business? We covered some of the benefits and considerations here.
Again, a cloud network is the simplest way to make remote work possible. Even if your staff is mostly on-site, they can easily switch back and forth for days when they are healthy enough to work but coming into the office is difficult.
Business continuity plans. Every business needs a continuity plan. Every. Single. Business. Moving to the cloud and transitioning to partially-remote workforce can be part of it, but you must know what to do before a disaster happens. We’ll have more on this in the coming weeks.
For a free consultation about how a cloud network could benefit your business, or if you want help developing your business continuity plan, fill out our contact form or call 810-355-2280, option 2, and we’ll be happy to have a chat with you about it.
Resources:
State of Michigan Coronavirus response page