Remote working. Social distancing.  Zoom meetings. E-commerce. Online conferences. Digital processes.

Many of us did not expect that we would encounter these concepts every day – not until March 2020. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, from our work environment to company policies, our professional lives have undergone and continue to undergo major changes. Some Harvard Business School instructors agree that the workplace as we know it is not coming back in the future.  So, what is the working order evolving into? How should those companies that are moving to remote working follow? Here are the 3 recommendations from professionals to consider in the “new normal” that we live in.

Finding the Balance Between Working Remotely and Working at the Office

According to a 2021 survey by Gartner – an international research and consulting firm, the percentage of employees working remotely from home at least some days of the week before the pandemic – 30%, rose to 48% after the COVID-19 pandemic. As vaccinations continue and restrictions are removed, companies have three options: recall employees back to the office, adopt a hybrid work system, or join the other companies that have gone fully remote working. Of course, remote working comes with its advantages and disadvantages, and it is not an easy process for companies that plan to switch to a system as such. According to a survey by Capita, a London-based outsourcing and professional services company, 77% of businesses believe that a lack of social interaction would negatively impact their employees. An analysis by management consulting firm McKinsey suggests that some technical duties are best-done face-to-face. However, 73% of employees prefer to work remotely – at least according to a survey conducted by Microsoft’un in 31 countries.

While many employees enjoy the sense of freedom and flexibility that comes with being able to work without being stuck working in a single location, for some of us, this is a necessity and social isolation imposed on us by the pandemic. Thence, one of the best things companies can do to ensure employee motivation and thus productivity looks to adopt a hybrid working model. A hybrid working model means that employees come to work on certain days and work from home on certain days. According to management consulting firm Accenture, 63% of growing companies have adopted a hybrid working model. While 69% of downsizing or non-growing companies reject this model, 83% of employees want to work hybrid.

Another option that can be chosen for balancing the advantages and disadvantages of remote working is the so-called hub-and-spoke model. In this model, companies continue to maintain the main hub, like a corporate office within their organization, thus, employees can come to the office if they want to and also work from home if they want to. Amazon, Google, and Fujitsu are some of the companies that have adopted this hub-and-spoke model.

Strengthen Your Technological Infrastructure

Digitalization is not a pandemic-specific phenomenon, but it is now one of the most important rules in the business world. CEO of Malaysia-based conglomerate Sime Darby Berhad, which operates in different industries, Jeffri Salim Davidson, states that they started their digitalization process before the pandemic, but this process has been considerably speeded up now. Although some companies are looking for workarounds,  a worldwide survey by PwC found that nearly half of CEOs plan to increase their long-term investment in digital transformation by at least 10%. So much so that a US-based market research company, International Data Corporation, predicts that in 2022, almost 2 trillion dollars will be invested in technology. This is a very effective plan because a survey conducted by McKinsey in 2020  proves that the number of customers who have moved their business processes to digital channels has tripled. Again, according to the same survey, the rate of respondents who believe that this technological transformation will be permanent is twice as high as those who think that we will eventually return to pre-pandemic norms. A long-term digital transformation looks important so much so that you do not fall behind in the race of the business world and meet the demands of customers. This applies to all industries and all business processes: LEGO allowed its customers to create their models with its 3D printer feature; Microsoft invested heavily in cloud technologies; on the other hand, Nike achieved a huge increase in its sales figures by improving its data analysis methods and digital marketing strategies.

The meaning of digitalization for companies has also undergone a major change. Before the Covid19 pandemic, companies used to regard technological tools as mechanisms to reduce company costs. For instance, thanks to the automated email feature, the sales team used to be able to focus on other tasks. But today, the percentage of companies stating that the reason for digitalization is to save money has sharply dropped to 10%. Companies that have switched to remote work think that it is much more profitable to create a company culture that focuses on digital technologies.  Indeed, according to a study by BCG, companies that can adapt digital transformation to their corporate culture are 5 times more likely to succeed. Namely, it is not enough to enrich your existing infrastructure and update your products – you also need to change your company values and corporate culture in parallel, which brings us to the next point.

Provide Training for Your Employees

A report by Capgemini, an outsourcing and consulting company, proves that 62% of organizations have the most difficulty in establishing company culture during digital transformation. For building values such as innovation, collaboration, data-driven decision-making, flexibility, and digital intelligence in your company, providing training to your employees is not a choice anymore but a necessity. Furthermore, once you have digitized your data, you may additionally need some experts to train your employees on issues such as data security or to ensure that they use the technologies you introduce to your company properly and efficiently. If we should look from a less technical point, training your employees also increase their motivation. By outsourcing or in-house training, companies that have switched to remote work not only attract a skilled workforce but also save billions of dollars a year by reducing the number of employees who want to leave their jobs, according to a report conducted by the Work Institute in the US.

Among these training, English training is of great importance. Broadband Commission for Digital Development stated that the rate of non-English content on the Internet is only 5%. A teacher at Harvard Business School and author of the book Language of Global Success, Tsedal Neeley, says that first-hand access to information occurs through English, and thus employees make better decisions. Multinational companies like Samsung, Nokia, and Renault have adopted English as their common company communication language.

Both for your employees and your company to be more successful in global markets, it is important to consider your English language training options. Cambly helps both you and your employees to achieve career goals by providing professional English language training for your company. By contacting Cambly Corporate team, you can take your first step to reach international standards and increase your work efficiency.

You can contact Cambly Corporate Team to benefit from the advantages of online education while expanding your boundaries.