Eventually, the Covid-19 ‘Craze’ will come to an end. And when the world is finally free of lockdowns and quarantines, what will become of those who voluntarily choose not to return to work? It’s an odd question for a not too implausible scenario. I’m not taking about the future unemployed though; rather about the majority of people who aim to continue working remotely on a permanent basis.
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Shopify & Coinbase: Going Digital by Default
Indeed, a growing number of employers (And, of course, employees) are seeking to utilize remote work as the new standard. Shopify CEO Tobias Lutke calls the new concept “digital by default”, a term that he is applying to his own enterprise. “As of today, Shopify is a digital company by default. We will keep our offices closed until 2021 so we can redesign them for this new reality” Lutke says.
Shopify is allowing around 5,000 of its employees to choose their own future in regards to their own remote work strategies, even going so far as to offer a $1000 stipend for any critical equipment or software staff members might need to facilitate remote work. Indeed, because of this shift, Shopify calculates only around 25 percent of its office space will be utilized in the future. But the successful e-commerce company is not the only company going in this direction.
Brian Armstrong, the CEO of Coinbase, is also striving to digitize his company’s employment strategy. According to a recent statement, he explained that “After the restrictions of quarantine are over, Coinbase will embrace being ‘remote-first’, meaning we will offer the option to work in an office or remotely for the vast majority of roles.” Effectively, 20% to 60% of Coinbase staff members will be employed on a remote working capacity after the pandemic has come to a close.
Furthermore, Twitter CEO and co-founder Jack Dorsey announced that all employees who can work from home will continue to do so without limitations in the future. Along with Spotify, whose workforce is expected to stick with their current Remote Work Strategy until next year.
The Main Drawbacks
Regardless of its many benefits, universally applied remote working strategies also have a downside. The upside is, of course, such strategies save up on expensive office space. However, remote work requires entirely new work procedures & digital implementations, which can be expensive. Above all, a good and trustworthy relationship between employee and employer is necessary. Regarding this utmost important tenet, the employee must realize that the job waiting for them at home must be conducted according to the targets set by the company, not according to their leisure. Therefore, personal responsibility is required to distinguish between one’s work and private life. Communication solely through digital means can also regularly be challenging. Many companies have noted that their employees have spent large portions of their professional life within video conferences. This can be physically taxing.
Remote Work: A Birdseye Perspective
Regardless of the many challenges faced in this regards, the global trends of work have been clear. There was already a massive transference towards remote working strategies, and the advent of the pandemic has accelerated (by tenfold) this inevitable shift. Indeed, some have even described it as the beginning of the end for offices.
Those who were not accustomed to working away from the office had to learn to adapt. Nevertheless, much of this strategy has been successful, and as a result, tech giants such as Facebook, Shopify and Microsoft have recognized the benefits and announced that they intend to keep remote work as a long-term option.
Work Remotely With Logique Digital Indonesia
If you have web development skills and want to work remotely, consider joining Logique Digital Indonesia. Currently, we have job vacancies open for several positions, such as Front End Developer, Web Developer, Mobile App Developer, and many more. Please visit the Logique career page to find the positions that match your skills and experience.
