KATE THOMPSON FERREIRA: Tech to the rescue, if SA business will give it a chance
As the coronavirus forces us to rethink the way we work, will companies and the public sector finally embrace telecommuting?
For about a decade I’ve been writing about the world’s readiness — or lack thereof — for telecommuting. It’s a trend that bubbles up regularly. Online conferencing hardware has got cheaper and better, and fibre is finally extending its reach in SA. It’s not just the climbing quality of video conferencing; technology such as Slack (for communication and collaboration with teams) and Trello (for project management) can arguably replace a lot of “face time”.
However, I haven’t seen mass uptake of this possibility. There are sections and sectors better placed for this, yes. As a freelancer who sells a service based on brain work (research, interviewing, writing), also known as a “knowledge worker”, I can work from home, or wherever my laptop is, and I don’t ask for permission to stay at home when sick...
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