Sweden responded to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic a little differently from most other countries of the world. The government continued with the same strategy – no lockdown, no compulsory facemasks, and new curfews. However, it did encourage remote work, which led several startups to restructure their strategy to operate in these unprecedented times.
Interestingly, businesses unearthed some unexpected results from virtual operations, ranging from improved productivity levels and better work-life balance to reduced formal teamwork. Even startups like Klingit were able to enjoy the benefits of remote work, which most of us didn’t even know existed. So how can these results be explained? Here are the reasons why remote working was helpful.
Technology Making Things Easier
Before COVID-19, the idea of working without face-to-face communications wasn’t preferred. If managers didn’t read people’s body language in the conference room, they would feel that not everyone is on board. However, within the remote work renaissance, everyone can stay connected with free or negligible costs.
Furthermore, virtual conferencing and project management platforms have also helped make smooth transitions towards remote working. Employers and employees have now had several months to test out these applications in different situations. They are also quite comfortable using video calling platforms, which they may end up using even after the pandemic.
WFH Will Have Long-Lasting Impacts
We’ll likely look back to 2020 as a major turning point in where and how many of us worked. Now, as remote work becomes more and more mainstream, it has opened up new avenues that many of us didn’t imagine. Rikard Hegelund, CEO and co-founder of Klingit, suggests that their vision makes the world’s companies look better through remote working.
Klingit is a prime example of how remote working has helped organisations to capitalise even during the pandemic. Their SaaS-based concept offers their customers a fixed-price graphic designing subscription with varying volumes and production rates. The designers, irrespective of their demographics, work under the company’s name. Klingit has also incorporated a user-friendly interface that links the designers and the customers – all remotely.
The Happiness of Employees
Research suggests that employees are 22% happier with remote working than at the office and enjoy a healthier work-life balance. For instance, taking a break to energise by a quick walk in the middle of the day can just be the relaxation they need.
Furthermore, with remote working as a prime catalyst, new employment opportunities have opened up from anywhere globally. For instance, Klingit also uses this model to attract top talent without any geographical restrictions.
Summing Up
This pandemic has delivered a new normal that drastically changed the outset of digital transformation. Of course, it remains unclear whether these startups who flourished during the pandemic would go back to the conventional office-based approach. But if anyone is like Klingit, they would relish remote working and expand exponentially, right from the comfort of their homes.
