Stories from IRL:

How the Covid-19 crisis is changing the way we do business

In an unprecedented turn of events, the coronavirus pandemic has caused over 80% of the country and many countries around the world to go into self or enforced quarantine. As millions hunker down around the world, employees and employers alike are getting accustomed to a work environment where everyone is distracted, distributed, and determined to maintain their shared goals and direction.

However, very few companies had contingency plans for a global pandemic. Business verticals from retail to technology are having to shift into business-continuity and infrastructure-improvement mode overnight. Consumer behavior is changing, placing strain on our infrastructure — especially networks. Suddenly, decision makers are navigating a global health crisis while ensuring their investments in resources, tools, systems, and technology are not merely maintained but accelerated for a post-pandemic, distributed workforce they thought was years away.

Whether they are eager to maintain the ordinary day to day or are forced to introduce novel workflows, businesses will need to re-learn how to interact with employees, partners, and customers. New expectations about what it means to work collaboratively will come into focus. Social norms, such as meeting in person, commuting, and even sharing a meal or coffee will be reevaluated and reserved for only the most critical events.

In this special conversation, we’ll chat with three diverse professionals about their varied experiences in dealing with the Covid-19 crisis. An activism advocate, a software engineer, and an IT strategist share their perspectives with the Remote Work Outpost, exploring how a global war with an unseen enemy is redefining what the future of work will be, today.