Remote work schemes became widespread out of necessity during the pandemic. After that experience, many companies are adopting systems that combine in-person and virtual. The advantages, disadvantages and challenges of flexible work models.
The pandemic accelerated, by necessity, the digital transformation processes that had been carried out in companies with more or less momentum. From one day to the next, urgent measures had to be implemented, and in some cases improvised, to sell, collect and work remotely. Thus, the importance of investing in technology became evident and the firms that had already been doing so had some advantage during the Isolation and Preventive and Mandatory Social Distancing measures (ASPO and DISPO). However, although few deny the advantages of teleworking, some business owners still doubt whether it is here to stay or whether it is advisable to opt for a mixed format that combines in-person and remote modalities. For Marcelo Granieri, director of Digital Transformation at the ITBA School of Innovation, teleworking, as part of the digital transformation, is a cultural change leveraged by new technologies. "If during the pandemic you did not begin your transformation, you are surely no longer in the market. Companies must understand that something is changing with incredible vertigo and that, if they do not adapt to this new reality, they will be left out," he warns. Teleworking implies incorporating more and better technology, but fundamentally deepening human aspects such as listening and support. For José Ramón Jiménez, Director of Solutions at the consulting firm Practia, the implementation must be conscious, systematic and organized. “Even if there are initial resistances or obstacles of a cultural or technical nature, they can be overcome simply with listening, support, adequate resources and clear processes.", he expands. In this sense, he adds Sandra Felsenstein, director of the consulting firm DINKA, Empathy is a fundamental factor. “It will allow the leader to respond to the concerns of the team and to know how they feel in these circumstances”, he claims.
