by Kasei Augustine
Walking into our office building, dropping our kids off at school, grabbing dinner and drinks with friends, hopping on an airplane, and cheering on our favorite sports teams all seem like distant memories. Instead, we are now relying on technology to work, connect with family and friends, order groceries and even consult our physician. Our “new normal” has certainly changed and these are a few things we have learned from this experience.
Telecommuting is a real thing.
Although the rate of telecommuting had been on the rise over the last several years, it only accounted for a small fraction of American workers. Now with the focus on aggressive mitigation, we are seeing these numbers climb. According to an MIT survey in April, almost half of the American workers questioned reported that they were working from home. Of these respondents, only ~15% were working remotely prior to the pandemic. The future of telecommuting is unknown, but we could end up seeing a continuation post-COVID-19. In a recent survey of CFOs and Finance leaders, 74% said they plan to keep at least 5% of their staff in remote roles. Reduced office costs and improved job satisfaction are clear benefits, but long-term effects on productivity and the navigation of new management challenges remain uncertain.
Telehealth is here to stay.
Telehealth is nothing new, but now more than ever, we are recognizing the importance of this option in healthcare. Surveys are finding an increased willingness among Americans to try telehealth in the future as a result of COVID-19. Telemedicine is giving individuals an option to receive quality care while still practicing social distancing, avoiding possible exposure to illnesses in a clinic office or hospital and limiting unnecessary use of PPE. During this public health emergency, Medicare policies have been temporarily altered to better reimburse telehealth services, expand covered services and allow physicians to treat “unestablished” patients. Patients are taking advantage of this opportunity across all healthcare professions, including behavioral health, oncology, physical therapy and primary care. While there are issues to sort through with any change, virtual access to healthcare professionals is not going anywhere.
Cybersecurity is crucial.
The pandemic has created a perfect environment for scammers to target our vulnerable society. With more people now working from home, cyber actors are taking advantage of possible gaps in network security and video-conferencing apps. They are targeting healthcare organizations, pharmaceutical companies and medical research organizations involved with COVID-19 in an attempt to gather protected personal information and national intelligence information. For the average American, phishing attacks have involved impersonating organizations that are providing information on COVID-19 health guidelines, financial relief and charitable donations. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) warns individuals to remain vigilant and provides precautionary advice.
Our economy is fragile.
An obvious statement. Everyone is feeling the effects of this crisis, but the hospitality, travel, retail and auto industries have been some of the hardest hit. With few customers, how are these industries expected to survive and make it out the other side? No amount of planning could have prevented the massive shock to these areas. Yes, restaurants are open for take-out and some shops are offering curbside pickup, but the results are in stark contrast to being fully open. Despite innovative new ways to offer products to consumers, businesses are still having to face hurdles due to customer’s financial constraints and fears of possible exposure. When businesses do make it through, it will likely still be a tedious path of recovery. Strategic planning and marketing will be key to help customers feel safe as they begin venturing outside of isolation.
Our social connections are vital.
Think about the world pre-FaceTime, pre-Internet even. This pandemic would have been even more challenging if that’s imaginable. We are hard-wired for face-to-face human contact in our relationships. However, thanks to technology, we’ve been able to keep in constant video contact with our loved ones. From virtual happy hours with friends, family game nights, birthday parties and even weddings, we have found new ways to adapt and continue to connect. It’s easy to take for granted a hug from a loved one or a simple meal with a friend. Hopefully, we can all learn to soak in these moments from now on, stop rushing and truly appreciate the time we have with one another.
Humanity still exists.
Life can feel a little bleak these days, but if you look, you can still find an abundance of heartwarming stories from all over the world. Neighbors helping the elderly and vulnerable in their communities. Health professionals dropping everything to join the frontline forces in hot spot areas. Teachers going out of their way to support students. Businesses offering freebies and donating food to essential workers. Inspirational quotes are written on sidewalks and scavenger hunt decorations for children hung in windows throughout neighborhoods. People providing groceries or meals to strangers, no questions asked. All proof that no matter the odds, we will always be there to support our fellow humans.
The uncertainty of when things will return to normal can be daunting. It’s clear that this pandemic has had devastating impacts, but hopefully, we can learn and grow from this experience to better ourselves, our families, our careers and businesses and the world as a whole. There is no telling what life will look like in the post-COVID-19 world, but we can be certain that we are all in this together.
