In the wake of one of the biggest pandemics since 2009’s swine flu, COVID-19 has the world worried about even the slightest exposure. Now reaching over 27 countries, the world has taken serious precautions against the additional spread—including closing schools and businesses. After the first reported death from the virus this past weekend, Nike’s Oregon headquarters became one of the first American businesses to close its doors. But are companies overreacting? How can they continue to function when employees are forced (or even choose) to stay home? Enter the alternatives.
WEBINARS AND LIVE STREAMS
We’re seeing pressure mounts for major conferences to be canceled in the wake of the virus’ spread. All is not lost: video conferences, live streams, and webinars are invaluable ways to continue to impact workflow and allow employees the safety and comfort of working from their home office. Colleges, in particular, have had online options since the early 2000s, allowing students to learn at their own pace, with easier access to teachers and the ability to keep their jobs while they are in school. We’ve helped many of these institutions develop production studios to produce quality online video coursework and webinars.
Oh and guess what? Webinars don’t have to be boring. Our team specializes in producing and hosting corporate webinars that are engaging, visually entertaining, and deliver results. The budget for a webinar or live stream is usually a fraction of the cost of hosting an in-person conference.
Learn more about remote production for live events
WORK FROM HOME
Twitter is encouraging its 4,800 global employees to work from home amid virus scares, even requiring it from employees based in Hong Kong, South Korea, and Japan. According to a blog post from the company, Twitter is “working to make sure internal meetings, all hands, and other important tasks are optimized for remote participation,” likely through means of video conferencing, live-streaming meetings via Skype or Zoom, and online communication and instant messaging methods such as Slack. Twitter could set an example for like-minded companies hoping to evade future COVID-19 outbreaks.
Working from home is not a new idea. In fact, IBM has been capitalizing on flexible hours since the 1980s, and by 2009, 40% of its employees were operating remotely. In fact, 42% of people ages 18-34 are working remotely, more than ever before. While some jobs require employees to be in the office, the amount of companies utilizing flexible work-from-home policies is astounding—many companies in the financial and healthcare markets especially have shifted to remote work such as Wells Fargo, Johnson & Johnson, and JP Morgan Chase. The rate at which remote work is growing is due to the rapid development of new tech, making communication easier than ever before.
Of course, there’s nothing better than meeting face-to-face with a colleague or client. However, as COVID-19 continues to impact communities worldwide, it is imperative to take care and take precautionary measures to assure your safety and those of your colleagues. Working from home might be the best option for you and your company right now.
…and wash your hands.