“Technology now allows people to connect anytime, anywhere, to anyone in the world, from almost any device.” – Michael Dell
Technology has been one of the defining forces in the 21st century, with no signs of slowing down. Whether it’s large-scale enterprises or small-scale start-ups, technology has found its way into the corporate world with a promise to help professionals achieve supremacy. World leaders are finding ways to use technology to its maximum effect, yet there’s always room for improvement.
Let’s look at it this way. An organisation conducts an implementation for its entire IT infrastructure and spends millions in the process, only to find out that that specific technology will become obsolete in the next few years. This isn’t a problem of just the modern world; innovation has always threatened the stability of age-old methodology. The great Albert Einstein once claimed that technology had exceeded humanity. However, until humans can, they will continue to upgrade existing tools and techniques; otherwise, life will become too stagnant.
Technology came into existence when humans decided to think out of the box. It’s the creative ideas that bring innovation to the world, carving the path for improving the lives of everyone. Take the concept of the remote working model as an example. As many managers previously believed, it’s hard to manage people who are working from home. Of course, distraction, communication barriers, and a lack of resources are a few factors that become obstacles for business leaders. However, one of the lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic experience is that remote work can be more than just a last resort. According to experts, if companies are not utilising remote work opportunities, they are under-using technology. Technology has come to the rescue whenever simple problems have become huge organisational concerns, and it has always helped out. So, can’t it help businesses execute the remote working model? It surely can.
There has been substantial research on the usefulness of remote work, and it has been used since way before COVID-19 made it a necessity. According to a paper published on sustainability, it was identified that extensive development of communications technology and mobile devices reduces the need for workplaces. Further, virtual operations also benefit employers. They can achieve reduced costs, increased economic outcomes, higher employee satisfaction, and, contrary to popular belief, even increased productivity. Globalised market competition has also played a huge part in introducing this model.
Everyone knows that technology is constantly improving, but do they believe that remote working can expedite the process? That seems to be the case, especially when it comes to hardware. Meeting hardware specifications has been a growing problem in the tech world. It needs to be more efficient and should be able to keep up with the increasing needs of workers. With remote working, the idea of technology improving at a quicker rate is more plausible than in a conventional model.
Rikard Hegelund, the co-founder of Klingit, a remotely-operated, Stockholm-based tech organisation, seems to agree with this notion. He said, “What’s the purpose of technological advancements? To make lives easier for humans. So, we can also leverage this technology to make our organisations better. That’s what Klingit is all about.” As one of the few organisations that religiously follow remote working, Klingit is making substantial developments. For starters, it is leveraging technology to connect with professionals from all around the world. Not many large-scale organisations have the liberty of doing something like this, which is why experts believe that technology and remote working can work well together.
For those who don’t know, Klingit started operating in 2020 during the pandemic. Setting a classic example, it demonstrated that if someone can use the model to start a business, enterprises with years of experience under their belts can flawlessly run their operations remotely. Only relevant training and management strategies will need revamping. Perhaps, that’s where technology can also help. Organisational training has been an area of concern for some time now. Unfortunately, many businesses fail to put enough focus on training. At the same time, employees are more focused on handling their workload and getting the job done rather than focusing on training. Since technological advancement isn’t pausing anytime soon (or ever), what will happen when the current technical skills become obsolete due to rapid upgrades? The pandemic unearthed some organisational demons that employers had been ignoring for a while now, and this is one example.
Many organisations started training programs, including training on emotional intelligence, motivation, and skills development. Of course, the first two are important, but development training provided fruitful results since they didn’t have to organise the whole conference room to train employees. Instead, they had to record lectures and share them in a virtual setting. It was a great way to ensure that employees were focused and willing to learn and flexibility helped them in their cause.
As the world slowly gets back to normal, it’s only a matter of time before many organisations start finding ways to bring back their employees to the office. Perhaps, they will learn when the productivity they have experienced in the last two years will make them realise the importance of remote working and technology. One thing is for sure, the technological development that the world has witnessed in the last two years has been phenomenal. According to a recent study, internet usage rose from 40% to 100% compared to pre-lockdown levels. At times like these, one can only imagine what the technological world will offer once the remote working model becomes a worldwide norm.
