Samuel Boult, our Marketing Executive, shares his thoughts on home working and how technology has made this the new norm.
The Coronavirus outbreak is the biggest global challenge humanity has faced since World War II. It has completely transformed the fabric of society in a matter of weeks, as well as changing our everyday lives.
Key workers are still going about their jobs as usual, albeit with extra precautions, such as social distancing, to help keep them safe. These are people such as doctors, nurses, carers, delivery drivers, retail workers, and maintenance professionals. The amazing people who are working hard to ensure that the nation is fed and looked after.
Then there’s people like myself, office dwellers who have found themselves in the lucky position of being able to continue to work from the comfort and safety of their home. We’re able to continue doing this through the vast range of capabilities offered by technology.
Working from Home is a Necessity
Before the Coronavirus outbreak, working from home was seen as a luxury, but it is now a necessary way for many companies to be able to continue to operate. Without this option, a lot of businesses simply wouldn’t be able to survive. It has been a lifejacket keeping people afloat, and it’s been made possible because of technology. If you have a laptop, phone and Wi-Fi access, you can do everything you’re used to doing, whether that’s from the kitchen, living room or home office.
Keeping in touch with colleagues is simple via applications such as Skype and Google Hangouts, and tasks can be organised using tools such as Trello boards, Monday.com and Slack. Okay, we’re missing out on that vital face-to-face interaction that humans crave, but on the plus side we get to see our colleagues’ taste in home décor and we don’t have to attend as many questionable meetings, so productivity is arguably higher for some.
Working from home isn’t always the holy grail that people believe it to be. When working in an office, the moment you leave is the signal to switch off, but when you’re in lockdown and your home is both office and living space, it is much more difficult to switch off, as the boundaries between work life and home life become considerably more blurred. However, in the grand scheme of things, where millions of people have been made unemployed and furloughed from their roles, this pales in comparison to what other workers are experiencing right now. Those who can work from home really are the lucky ones; they can self-isolate with their families and stay safe from the outbreak while still earning money.
Technology to facilitate the New World
Over the last few years, here at RMS we’ve been developing flex, a resource management and scheduling system which has transformed every facet of our business. The system intelligently builds teams of skilled merchandisers and deploys them to our clients’ retail stores across the country, and it contains many features that make the roles of both management and field staff so much easier. Since its inception flex has made a big difference to the efficiency of the business, but the Coronavirus outbreak has highlighted how essential this technology is to our business.
flex enables management staff to set up jobs and create optimum teams using criteria such as skillsets, experience and location. It is a robust communication channel between management and field staff, and geolocation technology means that we have done away with the traditional timesheet, as our field staff members use the myflex app on their smartphones to check in and out of jobs. Management can see who’s turned up for their shift wherever they are in the country, and the guys in the field can be confident that their weekly pay will be 100% accurate. Our field staff make use of the myflex app’s other features, for example they can claim back their expenses using an efficient, paperless and hassle-free process, and they can set their availability to tell management when they’re able to work.
flex has been central to how RMS operates for the last few years, but now it is an essential tool. It allows us to keep certain members of staff safe at home, where they can still do their job to support the field staff, our very own key workers who are contributing to the effort of keeping Britain fed during this crisis.
Above: Sam working from home
The Future is Home Working?
The Coronavirus outbreak has taught us that working from home isn’t just for the self-employed solo, creative types, or for those high-ranking members of a company who have the power to say “I’m working from the home office today, just because I can”. It has proved that virtually everyone who works in an office can do it, and do it to the best of their ability.
I used to ask my wife, who works in retail finance, why she couldn’t work at home, and her answer was always that she wouldn’t be able to fulfil every aspect at her role from home. Well, at the time of writing this, she’s sitting opposite me on a computer provided by her employer, doing whatever it is she does. And doing it well. When it comes to the crunch, companies have realised that they are able to provide their employees with the technology allowing normal operations to continue from their employees’ homes.
When the lockdown eventually ends, and we begin to revert to a more ‘normal’ life, some companies will undoubtedly look at their business practices and question whether they need such a large, permanent office building at all. It may not work for every company, but surely some will make use of their employees’ home offices more and choose to rent flexible working spaces for when they need to hold face-to-face meetings or work sessions.
The outbreak has disrupted the way we work, but we have been resilient and adapted to the challenge. It has made us stronger and closer to each other, which is ironic as we stay at home and practice social distancing. When the crisis is over, in terms of working we won’t go back to the way we were before. There will be a new normal, fuelled by the possibilities that technology allows us.
Main image by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
