It was early March when Microsoft decided to mandate its employees work remotely. Over a month since then, the world has not yet “bounced” back.
It’s still looking like we haven’t seen the worst of things to come. Many industries are closed altogether. Others are running with reduced staff. More people than we can count are out of work and seeking unemployment.
Unless your position called for travel, working remotely wasn’t something many people would consider. However, there is no normal right now, and many people find themselves working from home for the first time.
Not all industries can manage it. There are front liners that have to work. Sure, you can likely do a video appointment with your doctor, but doctors are still seeing patients.
Food service, gas station, and grocery store employees are all critical and in-person jobs that are going to work on a daily basis.
Insurance companies and accounting offices? Their employees are probably very important to a lot of people right now. Their jobs are unlikely to be reliant on a central location.
A computer with web access can be enough to get you through in some situations, and other times, you need access to resources on your corporate network. Different people have different needs. In some cases, people are learning what they need and how to get it as they go.
As someone working in the IT industry, a fair portion of my normal work is done remotely. The only difference is my physical location. I can make calls, remotely assist clients, resolve issues, and carry on like a typical day at the office.
Many are not so lucky. The world doesn’t stop running, and being under quarantine is creating some unique situations. People who have never worked from home suddenly are.
Non-critical business is on hold, but the justice system isn’t on complete shutdown. Different cities and states are still working with its judges to get things done. There are certainly some instances of cities where they have the infrastructure in place to do telecourt appearances. There are others that are trying to put systems in place to be able to operate and hear cases.
While it is likely that some criminal cases will be put on hold, other court matters, like custody cases, can’t always wait indefinitely.
With such uncertainty, some judges are doing Zoom meetings just to make sure that the world does keep moving around us.
Meeting apps like Zoom are being used more and more frequently as people attempt to find ways to host meetings. Skype, Discord, and just about anything else have been used in a pinch to try to make ends meet.
Technology can be daunting, especially when new concepts like virtual meetings or VPNs are introduced.
People trying to use a webcam and mic or remote connection for the first time can get frustrated; it can be hard enough when we’re not facing a global pandemic. Having a technology partner like Tech Experts can ease the transition (and your mind) in these trying times.
There are many things to be learned from this entire situation, though, and many things are sure to change. One thing is for sure: we will all likely be a little more comfortable with the idea of working from home in the future, should we need to.