How I hope COVID-19 will impact how we work

In this period of a healthcare crisis, I believe some companies will have to resort to employees doing work remotely. I hope that this will be an opportunity for both sides to learn that remote work can work, and sometimes can work even better.

Remote work while challenging at first try, can prove worthwhile. It can shift the conversation to be more outcome-based rather than input-based. It can no longer be about showing up during specific hours. Rather, it will be about the impact to the business that you are making. It will give workers more sense of autonomy and more autonomy itself, which will encourage greater professional growth. In general, it will make it far harder for managers to micro-manage, which is never healthy nor productive.

Everything that I’ve said above is conditional and the journey towards those benefits will not be a straight path. It depends on both sides putting in their best, but I sincerely believe that as a whole we need to be more open to remote work, wherever possible.

The over-insistence on physical presence has varying impacts on people. The cost of commuting can be very heavy on certain people. Some people live nearer, some further away. Some people might have medical conditions or need to take care of parents or children. They might have immense talent but are less able to than others to be on-site. This is unfair and also a loss for both the worker and the business. A worker who has more flexibility to deal with their other commitments in life in…