A lot of us are wondering if remote work is the future? Retailers with large offices near are wondering if these customers are coming back? Retailers selling to home offices are wondering if these customers are staying.
Well, Google had much to do with setting up remote working with its Google Meeting product. It was also one of the first company to convert to remote work. It has decided that it wants its employees back to the office at least three days a week. It has rejected remote working. So everyone is advised to get the Covid-19 vaccine, but it's not mandatory (yet?). If employees want to continue to work remotely after Sept 1st, they have to apply for more than 14 days per year. They are also talking of pay cuts for employees that continue to work remotely as they are less productive. The problem from what I understand is co-ordinating staff if they work remotely.
Amazon has come up with a similar decision. It also wants its staff back.
As an employer, who has had to run the office remotely, I can relate to this. How are you supposed to manage when you really do not know what people are doing? How are you train someone if they are not there? There are times when it's just so better to have everyone there to discuss a problem. Another problem is that many people at home do not have an area and facilities to run a home office.
After the experience with remote working, we have decided for our customers' needs that we need one or more support people, a hardware and software expert always in our headquarters at all times.
Other big tech companies like Facebook and Twitter have now decided to allow most but not *all* remote work to continue.
These are tech companies whose work is much easier to do remotely than companies. So, I would not be so sure that remote working is the future? If it does, as Google shows, it may come with a pay cut. Another issue is that I am thinking about is if an Australian worker can do the work from home, I am sure many Australian employers feel that Indians and Filipinos have homes too!
Currently, in Australia, because of our troubled vaccination drive, US is at 40%, we are at 2%, we probably will not see a decision soon on all of this?
Anyone have any thoughts let me know?
