By: Christian Silva, Multimedia Manager
September 2020 Update:
Companies are continuing to evolve and adapt to the new circumstances such as remote working and limited in-person gatherings. Since the end of March, technology companies have shifted their resources and development into creating interactive online media. Examples include virtual events, concerts, and appointments. The tech industry was fueled by a need to continue businesses and services, investing in the long run. By shifting their priorities and their way of attack, new virtual and personalized experiences emerged. Companies now have new tools to use both during and post-COVID-19 for planning and executing events and services. Technology that has either emerged or gained an investment from small to bigger companies include digital and contactless payment, online shopping and delivery, and online entertainment and learning. The pandemic also gave tech companies something to think about in terms of future investments and opportunities: should they invest in automation and artificial intelligence programs and assistance or not?
With COVID-19 forcing companies to reanalyze their work environment and structure, remote work came to fruition and is here to stay. With less of the masses working, technology companies that were questioning automation and AI are likely rethinking their strategies. In the midst of everything, COVID-19 gave them a chance to analyze themselves for the better.
Original Article:
Have you ever wondered if that unproductive meeting you attended could have been done over a simple email? The answer to that question is what most information technology (IT) workers and employees in other departments are currently experiencing. While unemployment is surging, as seen from the biggest increase since Sept. 2, 2017, according to the Department of Labor’s Weekly Claims, there is also a growing number of remote workers—or people who work from home—utilizing the technology already available, thanks to the technology industry.
People may be afraid of change, and the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused vast amounts of employees to adjust their regular work routine. The technology industry may have taken profit hits from lack of corporate social and promotional events, but there is still some light that can foreshadow how the future might be with the use of technology.
One of the noticeable outcomes of the coronavirus’ impact is that some jobs are manageable from home.
It is possible that this momentary shift in lifestyle may have revealed to us a new and better way to work. It does raise an important question: could we shift to a way of life that is more geared towards remote work?
If we do shift, a lot of technology companies would surely focus their resources and development on providing better services that would be utilized by employees to facilitate their work from home. Employees would reap the benefits of working from home and students can continue their education online. This would cause an increase in productivity and potential profits in return to the company, with workers having more leisure time to relax and enjoy creating a positive ambiance.
Zoom, Slack, Google Hangouts, and other video chat software are being used now more than ever for remote work and education. Now would be the best time for companies to invest in technology to get ahead in the game. However, this shift in resources and focus could lead companies to prioritize aspects that, in the long run, could negatively affect them. Companies may lose shares as the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) market becomes saturated.
Social media has been positively and widely received, with platforms such as Facebook and Instagram offering the Live stream function. Many companies such as Google, Apple, Sony, and Facebook have had to cancel conferences, reveals, and social gatherings due to the social-distancing implementation. Conferences such as E3—which is undoubtedly the biggest yearly video game flagship event—were canceled.
However, companies are now thinking of the possibility of live streaming these events. Those companies that may not have had the opportunity to switch to live-streaming initially due to financial or personal reasons would appreciate and welcome this path. Regular audiences would benefit by viewing all the new gadgets, technology, and games that only exclusive VIP attendees on-ground would have experienced.
For instance, the Game Developers Conference, a major gaming event, streamed some of the talks that were scheduled throughout the conference’s original dates, March 16 through March 20, for free. Apple also prioritized its customers’ health by canceling its major conference used to announce and reveal their new software features and products, the Worldwide Developers Conference, typically held in June.
In a statement to BBC, Apple said “[they]will host its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June…[in]an entirely new online format.” The technology industry will be seeing a spike in the use and investments in live streaming services.
Some companies are helping ease the current switch to online work. Adobe is offering their Creative Cloud products for free. Anyone with access to a computer will now be able to enjoy their products—such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere Pro—for free, for the time being. During the ongoing quarantines, individuals are able to give these applications a try using their current available downtime.
In the long run, technology companies can benefit from the free exposure of their products, while the customers can benefit from the learning experience if they decide to buy the product in the future.
The technology industry does not seem to be slowing down, despite the coronavirus’ spread. Both the technology companies and the people that utilize the streaming and VoIP services can mutually benefit by continuously working, even if it is remote work and online classes.
In a Q and A with a Harvard Business School expert, Prithwiraj Choudhury, the Lumry Family Associate Professor in the Technology and Operations Management Unit, said, “In my research, productivity went up when people went to remote work settings.” However, Choudhury does go on to say that he “would not like to compare those normal circumstances to this moment now, where general anxiety might affect productivity.”
A positive outlook in all of this is to see all the tools we have now that we could have been using all along. Managers and companies are realizing that it could be beneficial to incorporate flexibility into the workplace.
