How the Coronavirus Could Impact the Future of Working From Home

The coronavirus pandemic is accelerating workplace evolutions that were already underway, such as deeper reliance on video conferencing and remote work.

Some workplace changes caused by the virus could be positive, leading to improved practices and employee health, increased efficiency, lower operating costs and higher profits, according to ZDNet. At the same time, industries such as business travel and commercial real estate might suffer.

It’s possible that companies with reduced or suspended travel during the coronavirus outbreak will decide to continue this permanently after the health threat has abated. And if employees can work from home without losing productivity, office costs might be harder to justify, ZDNet suggested. 

It would not be the first time that an outbreak of infectious disease has left a lasting mark on the business world. “Seventeen years ago, the e-commerce business experienced tremendous growth after SARS [the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome],” Alibaba CEO Yong Zhang said.

With the coronavirus, “we believe that adversity will be followed by change in behavior among consumers and enterprises and bring ensuing opportunities,” he said. “We have observed more and more consumers getting comfortable with taking care of their daily living needs and working requirements through digital means.”

Automation to augment or replace workers will likely increase in the wake of the coronavirus, ZDNet wrote. Fewer people working together in confined spaces might also mean fewer human resources issues. — Greg Beaubien

photo credit: westend61