How to effectively organize communications in the new reality?

Translated from Russian

The pandemic has fundamentally changed the way we work. There is no turning back. We live in a new reality and hope that in the near future it will be called “the era after COVID-19”. Nevertheless, there have been many changes: not only in our thinking, but also in technical issues – says Dmitry Arkhipov, Director of Business Development at JPL Telecom in Russia and the CIS.

Dmitry Arkhipov, Director of Business Development at JPL Telecom in Russia and the CIS

The experience of collaboration has changed. The speed of the Internet and technology for working with video have made virtual communication so real that it is likely that the number of trips and face-to-face meetings will never be the same. However, there is another side to the telecommuting coin that leads to burnout, work-life imbalance, isolation fatigue, and video calling. All of this leads to emotional and intellectual burnout.

Companies continue to invest more and more in employee home office equipment. And we will tell you about what you should pay attention to when organizing work processes in a new reality and what trends in IT should not be overlooked.

Wellness

In this difficult time, people realized how important it is to maintain and maintain health. Therefore, when working from home, it is important to pay great attention to creating a comfortable working environment, for example, using professional headsets. A good device will transmit high-quality sound, and this has a beneficial effect on hearing and reduces stress in the process of communication. In addition, headsets allow you to sit comfortably during online communication, because there is no need to hold the handset to your ear or bend over to your laptop. In addition, hands are free, and you can take notes or type on the keyboard at the same time.

Less – More

Teleworkers need more and more knowledge and skills, including in applications and services, to effectively manage teleworking. Such are becoming so-called prosumers, that is, “professional users”.

They want to save time and effort, to be as efficient as possible, and therefore to put a minimum of effort in setting up equipment and software. Therefore, Plug & Play devices are becoming more and more popular.

High-quality communication

Managers and employees should also take seriously the quality of the Internet connection used when working remotely. Video conferencing has become the main way of communicating with colleagues and clients, so it is important that the image quality is high, and this requires a good Internet.

Reasonable consumption

Fewer devices, fewer things, more flexibility – that’s what we all strive for lately. Sustainable consumption is not a fashion, but a necessity that will help us and future generations to conserve the planet’s resources. To reduce the number of devices, you need to think about their versatility. For example, you can purchase a universal device that is suitable for both listening to music and holding negotiations.

Balance

When working from home, it can be quite difficult to find a balance between corporate and personal life. This is especially difficult when there is no way to allocate a separate space for an office. And children may need to do home schooling remotely with you at the same table. Lack of privacy and the ability to focus on work tasks tend to increase stress levels and reduce productivity.

It’s really hard to maintain a work-life balance, as evidenced by the HeadHunter study, which found that every tenth respondent is dissatisfied with their work-life balance. [1] Therefore, many companies began to practice the so-called hybrid work style, that is, employees have the opportunity to work partly remotely, partly in the office. This flexible approach allows people to be more productive and reduce the level of anxiety associated with being at home.

The clouds

Cloud services have become almost the main trend in IT in recent years. Increasing mobility and acceleration of the pace of life leads to the fact that access to information should be around the clock and from any device. This became especially true during lockdowns. According to Flexera research, 59% of companies believe that the pandemic will provoke increased demand for cloud solutions. [2]

Safety

The issue of corporate security has become a big pain for companies. Due to the fact that employees have gone to “remote work” and began to use more personal gadgets for work, it is now more difficult for IT specialists to track data flows, and therefore to ensure their safety. In addition, the pandemic has triggered an unprecedented increase in cyberattacks. For example, in Russia in June 2020, this figure increased by 85%. [3]

From all of the above, it follows that in order to organize comfortable and effective remote work, it is worth paying attention to both material and technical aspects, as well as emotional ones. Moreover, not only employees themselves, but also companies should take care of productivity, providing high-quality equipment and software, as well as the opportunity to sometimes go to work in the office.

[1] One in 10 Workers Fails to Find Work-Life Balance – Research | Rusbase (rb.ru)

[2] https://www.flexera.com/blog/industry-trends/trend-of-cloud-computing-2020/

[3] The number of cybercrimes in Russia has grown by more than 85% | News | Izvestia | 06/09/2020 (iz.ru)

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