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We’re starting to see more companies make the shift to allow working from home permanently. But going remote hasn’t always worked out.
Remember when former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer made quite the stir in 2013 by ending the company’s work-from-home option? Or how about when IBM, an early champion of remote work, called some of its workers back to the office in 2017?Experts often blame lack of trust between employers and employees, a drop in productivity and a change in management style as common reasons these policies fail.Read MoreBut it doesn’t have to be this way.As more companies take a flexible approach by allowing workers to decide when and where they work, they should be aware of some of the pitfalls that could sabotage remote work options.Failing to maintain the same level of output is going to be a deal breaker for managers. Which is fair enough. But that means both managers and workers need to be clear about setting expectations and priorities. Managers have to communicate often (overcommunicating is even better) and trust employees to get their work done when they say they will — which can be hard, especially for micromanagers.Collaborating and teamwork have been all the rage lately, which works great when everyone is sitting in the same office. Now that workers are spread out, the right tools, procedures and culture should be put in place. Click here to learn more about the struggles of working from home and how to overcome them.
Using AI to enforce social distancing at work
Companies are turning to artificial intelligence to make sure people are staying far enough apart in the workplace.Here’s how it can work: AI software analyzes surveillance-camera imagery, calculating the space between workers and flagging any instances when proper social distancing isn’t happening, reports CNN Business’ Rachel Metz.And some software is already in use. A factory in Peru added AI software to its existing camera system to log occurrences of social distancing fails. It will flag things like two workers walking too close in a hallway. This software can also detect workers who are not wearing a mask.Feeling a little creeped out by the idea of always being watched at work? That’s understandable. Using AI in this way raises questions about how the technology decides what behavior is deemed safe or not. There’s also the risk of companies using the footage beyond its intended scope. Read more about the technology here.Curious what tracking might look like? Watch this video.
Meet the pandemic-era office
Want to know what employers are thinking about when it comes to workers returning to the office?A recently-released survey of 150 human resources executives provides a little insight. Here’s what it found:
- Nearly all employers will provide and/or require employees to wear masks
- 93% plan to limit or forbid gatherings in shared spaces including bathrooms, conference rooms and break rooms
- More than half will limit elevator use and take workers’ temperatures when they arrive
But all of this could be a moot point for some workers, since 43% of those surveyed said they would keep most of their employees remote after the pandemic, reports CNN Business’ Jeanne Sahadi.Learn more about what employers are planning for the return to the office.
What small businesses really need
There was a lot of confusion surrounding the Paycheck Protection Program that was set up to offer loans to small business owners. A lot.The launch was messy. The rules changed. Loans were insufficient. So as Congress continues to hash out the next relief bill, the focus should be on getting targeted aid to smaller businesses and reducing the tax burdens and red tape holding many businesses back, writes Brad Close, president and CEO of the National Federation of Independent Business for CNN Business’ Perspectives.He said lawmakers should allow small businesses to apply for a second PPP loan and should also reform the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program to make the approval and delivery process more streamlined, or create an improved low-interest, long-term lending program.He also advocates a liability shield to protect small businesses from some Coronavirus lawsuits.Read more about how Congress can help small businesses here.
Coffee break
So we now know how employers are preparing for the return to the office.But you might still be nervous about going back to work.My colleagues at Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, got an insider’s look at how to prepare for heading back to the office.
Some of the tips include bringing a portable storage container to help prevent people from touching your stuff after hours, and wearing layers in the office since you can no longer control the room temperature.Check out the full list here.
Source: edition.cnn.com