Now, the advice is clear: if you can safely and
comfortably work from home, do so. Brands
like Twitter, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and
JP Morgan have introduced new work from
home policies, requiring all-but-essential
staffers to clock in from home, and even
NASA’s Ames Research Center has introduced
a telework policy after one of its employees
tested positive. Google sent home staff and
warns on its websites that customer support
may be slower than usual, and new flexible
working arrangements are being drafted by
smaller companies.
DEPENDING ON TECHNOLOGY
Perhaps one of the biggest challenges for
smaller businesses is that they’re unlikely to
have prepared for a work-from-home situation,
using outdated technology that cannot be easily
accessed outside of the office. The Googles and
Amazons of this world run their businesses via
the cloud, but a small recruitment agency in
Seattle, for example, may have to think on its
feet. The key to working from home successfully
is depending on tech, using the right apps
for remote work that inspires creativity and
productivity, without unnecessary spending.
The good news is that firms like Amazon have
announced relief funds in select locations to
help ease the transition to the cloud during the
coronavirus outbreak, but the likelihood is that a
$5 million pot won’t scratch the surface.
Aside from the obvious productivity apps
like Google Drive, OneDrive, and iCloud, each
with their own suite of tools like Google Docs,
Microsoft Word and Pages, businesses can rely
on free technology like Facebook Workplace or