Oh, what a difference a year makes!
It’s 03.01.2001. Where were you a year ago today? Whether you were attending a meeting, collaborating with your team, scheduling an event or visiting with clients, the odds are, your desk was not in your home, the meeting wasn’t online, your team members weren’t pixelated, the event wasn’t virtual, and not one of your clients welcomed you with an elbow bump.
It’s early March and we’re quickly approaching the one-year mark. Our lives have changed. Our perspectives have changed. And business? The way business is done has drastically changed. We’ve now gone twelve rounds with COVID and the most successful companies, regardless of size or industry, have proven their resilience by exemplifying the ability to pivot, implementing, and adapting to modifications in business models, many of which have included both a workplace and workforce restructuring. The result? With the help of technology, we adapted. Our homes rapidly transformed into office space, and with our laptop and VoIP lines stretched across our dining rooms, we became expert multi-taskers, our calendars filled with Zoom invites, collaboration continued, contracts were signed, projects were managed, objectives were met, and goals were surpassed. Our quality of life improved as we learned to navigate this new work-life landscape; employers quickly noticing an increase in productivity, employee morale and motivation. Many have also reported a decrease in turnover, paid time off, and unscheduled absences.
The end is now in sight, and while the unprecedented speed and progress made by biotech companies have offered many of us peace of mind in the form of a two-dose vaccine, we remain far more cautious than we were just twelve months ago. The same employers who were quick to adapt must now determine when and if they will return to their pre-COVID model, though many have already downsized (rightsized), noting the financial benefit of doing so has enabled them to leverage growth opportunities in alternate areas. Others have opted for shared office spaces, offering staff the ability to work on-site as necessary. Business owners include increased productivity, improved work-life balance, and a significant decrease in cost of doing business (reduced rent, utilities, cleaning and maintenance costs, furniture purchases, and upgrades to IT assets and electronic equipment) among the top factors driving their decision.
One thing is for certain. Our ability to pivot, to meet objectives and remain productive whether we work from our home, office, or a hybrid of both - is made entirely possible by the technology we rely heavily upon each day. These opportunities are made possible with the help of cloud computing and VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) solutions which allow us to make and receive calls using a broadband internet connection instead of analog phone line, a tremendous asset to businesses transitioning to less conventional workspaces.
While cloud computing and Voice Over Internet Protocols make remote work possible, we realize restructuring of any kind often leaves businesses big and small with IT equipment (useful or obsolete) they are not sure what to do with. Pupfish provides sustainable solutions to companies of all sizes, offering affordable and secure hard drive data destruction, electronics recycling and IT asset liquidation services. An eco-focused business operating within Long Island’s rapidly advancing technology space, Pupfish partners with businesses of all sizes, in every industry, to meet regulatory compliance and environmental guidelines when retiring IT assets, removing the burden and mitigating the risk of a catastrophic data breach so their clients can focus on what matters most. IT assets might include desktops, laptops, and copiers, telecom and networking equipment or phone systems replaced by VoIP conversions. To learn more about their services, click here or call Pupfish at 631.403.1100 today for your complimentary consultation.