COLLABORATED WE STAND

While we had the technology to create a mesh of remote workers, COVID-19 pushed its adoption at an unprecedented scale. Here is how companies in India are dealing with it

- JATINDER SINGH

At the outset of 2020, nobody would have thought that the world would be facing one of the most difficult times since World War II or any of the known health crisis within a few months. It would have seemed improbable that the entire human race would be engaged in an uphill battle against a contagious virus with no cure and COVID-19 bringing public life to a standstill.

Amid government’s lockdown measures to contain the virus spread, many businesses are finding it difficult to meet their contractual obligations despite their best intention. Holding face-to-face meetings have become unworkable, uncertainty is palpable, and work-from-home has become the new normal.

In such a scenario, when communicating with clients and employees has become more significant than ever, adoption of good technology and availability of uninterrupted connectivity is the only way that can help businesses survive and sail through such challenging times. It is interesting to note that the telcos faced an unprecedented 40-45% surge in the demand for data volume during the initial week of the lockdown, with a majority of this spike happening because of remote working.

Optimizing remote work tools

Amid the ongoing pandemic, besides accomplishing work-related projects, employees are dealing with stress and anxiety, and hence need uninterrupted access to data connectivity and seamless platforms so that they can share their ideas and grievances. This has compelled organizations across the globe to utilize digital tools and solutions—from web conferencing and e-mail to mobile collaboration suits and virtual event platforms—to engage their employees, protect their health and ensure business continuity.