The 3 Phases of Remote Working

Many customers have shared their experiences with us over the last few weeks as we all aim for BAU (business as usual). These experiences have tended to fall into 3 distinct phases.

Phase 1

During the first two weeks of the lockdown, business leaders were under immense pressure to put solutions in place to allow staff to work from home.

Typically, these solutions were quickly cobbled together using a combination of messaging apps e.g. WhatsApp, Microsoft Teams, Zoom video meetings and mobile phones. A little hurried and somewhat fragmented, but for many, it kept the lights on!

Phase 2

We’re now firmly in Phase 2. The urgency around putting measures in place has been replaced with a desire to make communications easier, more effective and more enjoyable.

Having survived Phase 1, businesses are now looking to consolidate to a single app that does all – or most – of what’s required, rather than continue to struggle with a suite of different ones.

This tactic can address security concerns but it also makes management and control (via a central hub or dashboard) much more effective. Training is easier too, as staff no longer have to struggle to learn a whole bunch of different apps – they can focus on using just one.

And if the app allows you to join meetings on other video meeting platforms such as Zoom, WebEx, Teams, Skype for Business – so much the better!

Phase 3

Perhaps the most interesting of all will be Phase 3. As remote working becomes part of the landscape, business leaders will be reviewing fundamentals such as staff travel to the office, travel to meetings and, in some cases, the future viability of offices themselves.

If cost savings can be made with productivity remaining constant – or even increasing – the argument for adopting remote working post-lockdown will be hard to resist.

Flexible working policies might also attract bright new talent to the business.

The rapid move to remote working seems to have brought some humanity back too. Instances of children and pets wandering into conference calls are commonplace. It’s what happens when work and home lives collide. And it’s okay.