How Technology Has Helped Certain Professionals Thrive During the Coronavirus Pandemic

The Coronavirus pandemic has decimated economies around the world, to say the least. Millions of people are out of work without indication when they can get back to work. The stimulus checks simply are not sufficient for those people living in places with high costs of living. Technology has helped certain professionals stay afloat. Others are thriving due to the lack of spending due to social distancing restrictions. In the past, there are a large number of people that would be out of work that simply started working from home. Below will delve into the different ways technology has helped open up opportunities during this trying time. 

Remote Work is Now Possible  

Technology helped keep millions of people on track in a financial sense. Unlike restaurant workers, there are jobs that can be done entirely on the computer. For salespeople, there is a chance that they can do their jobs even better with the elimination of distractions that being in an office creates. The ability to instantly message someone or do a screen share allows for production to proceed as usual. Meeting with remote workers is still important as a weekly recap or goal meeting can provide motivation. Tracking how employees are spending their time can be done but if production has increased or stayed the same, it is best to leave staff alone. The tough truth is that people that are working also have an increased number of responsibilities. Many people have to be an employee/teacher/parent all at once.  

Freelance Gigs are Widely Available  

Freelance gigs are widely available for people that might have lost their job or been furloughed for the foreseeable future. People that have skills that are valued can make a decent living or supplemental income to stay afloat. There is plenty of extra time that would have been spent out with friends or visiting family that is now free. Look for gigs that appeal to you and are a perfect fit for your particular skills/knowledge. Finding ways to earn during this period can lead to extra income that is especially valuable during this period in history. These freelance gigs can turn into full-time employment for those that are looking for a stable source of income at this time.  

Coordinating Projects is Easier than Ever  

The ability to assign staff different tasks provides convenience for management. This needs to be done in a project management platform in order to track whether certain things have been done. Complex projects like that of software development can be efficiently managed. Assigning milestones and deadlines will keep the development on track. Being a remote worker for the first time can be tough as you might not know where to start your day. Management is able to set agendas daily for staff which provides them with direction and allows them to start being productive immediately. One aspect to understand is that not all platforms are great for specific types of projects. Find the project management system perfect for a business then stick to it as it is something management and staff will not regret.  

Time Has Been Used to Automate Certain Processes  

The downtime for some businesses has been a time to optimize processes for a post-pandemic business market. Reprogramming an  EEPROM  is a great example of repurposing current technology to help boost productivity. Automation of processes during this time can reduce the current workload. This will also allow projects to scale up without systems failing. A popular area that is being looked at during this time is the design of websites. Many business owners might not feel like they have time to do this during regular periods of the year but now has time to do so.  

Telemedicine Helps Medical Staff Work Without Risk of Infection  

Going to a hospital is not at the top of anyone’s “to do” list at this point in time. Medical staff that might have been stressed have seen robots take over making rounds. These robots can come with medication and some even have a stethoscope attachment to get real-time vitals. Staff would be swamped with the additional requirement of changing masks/scrubs after seeing each patient. Telemedicine restrictions have been lifted to a point when it comes to the way that they are billed during the pandemic. Doctors are no longer required to be licensed in the state where they are practicing telemedicine to maximize people that can be helped.  

As restrictions start to lift there are companies that might consider keeping their entire staff working remotely. The savings on overhead costs from  utilizing a fully remote staff can be immense. The lack of need for physical office space is a fixed cost that can be reduced or completely eliminated. Businesses are sure to change in case another pandemic occurs or other disasters that prevent people from interacting.