MANILA, PHILIPPINES– Epson has released a report that takes a look at some of the behaviours that are likely to help people navigate the new workplace in a post Covid-19 world.
A Virtual Workforce
Technology has always been available to support flexible working with messaging platforms such as Zoom, Slack, Skype and Microsoft Teams all providing remote working options. At the same time, the health crisis has accelerated this transition and forced many organisations into becoming a predominantly virtual workforce.
Adaptability in this era of digital transformation is critical. As companies prepare for remote working, reliance on technology is stronger with teams of individuals having to learn to collaborate, operate, and communicate virtually. Even when the economy recovers, many believe that remote working is set to be a permanent fixture in our working culture.
One of the biggest benefits to the rise of a virtual workforce is cost savings. This manifests in a reduction in rental, on-premise technology spends, as well as financial benefits for employees, who no longer need to commute to a physical office, giving businesses few reasons to return back to traditional working styles.
Distance Learning
The need to contain the spread of the Covid-19 has resulted in the closure of schools and universities worldwide, affecting an unprecedented 363 million children and youths 2 . As a result, the education industry has been forced to turn to online learning plans using technology to conduct classes on digital platforms, without compromising learning outcomes.
Despite the move to conduct lessons online, it remains crucial to engage learners via student-centric approaches to distance learning. From recorded lectures, live streaming, self-help guides, to virtual consultations, educators around the world are constantly looking for ways to make learning more fun and engaging.
E-commerce as a way of life
The Covid-19 outbreak has refocused consumer purchase priorities leading to new shopping habits. For instance, in Singapore, the sales of health and wellness products has continued to grow since the outbreak 3 , indicating a long-term shift towards healthier products and categories.
Across Southeast Asia, online grocery vendors have experienced a surge in orders 4 as more consumers choose to stay indoors to order their groceries online, rather than venturing out and being physically present in a store. With this in mind, the online shopping trend is here to stay, and it’s evident that the pandemic has accelerated new e-commerce behaviours as consumers become more accustomed to the various online platforms and will continue to conduct purchases online, even after a solution to Covid-19 is found.
This shift in consumer behaviour points to the fact that technology will continue to play a significant role in the next normal environment. As work, learning, and shopping behaviours move from predominantly offline to online, there is soaring demand for new technology solutions to help improve the consumer journey, improving convenience and efficiencies.
Driving sustainability in a hybrid work environment
By gaining access to reliable tools, companies can help employees cope with the added stress they may face working in hybrid environments, and more effectively help them stay on top of their workloads. Office workers are used to having access to different types of technology.
The Epson EcoTank series helps businesses be more efficient and sustainable in the long run due to low running cost. An EcoTank printer features a large ink tank that produces high page yield, allowing users to get more printouts in B&W and colour. Users are assured of productivity with the EcoTank’s spill-free ink bottles which are priced affordably, delivering more savings and less waste than replacing ink cartridges and toners frequently.
Furthermore, the availability of a document scanner at home can help professionals scan various paper documents and connect wirelessly to a smartphone, tablet or computer, as well as online cloud storage accounts. In an era where data is at serious risk, Epson scanners can digitally archive vital documents and information. This improves productivity by quickly digitising and organising hard-copy prints such as invoices, expense reports, receipts, business and ID cards, and documents – turning them into searchable and editable PDFs.
By taking steps to ensure sustainable business practices, organisations can leverage Covid- 19 to instil and strengthen a sense of sustainability ownership in their employees. This puts organisations on track towards a more sustainable journey. Only with active participation from employees and constant effort put into transforming business operations for the better, will organisations be more sustainable.
