AdNews brings the stories of those working from home (WFH) in the advertising and media industry during the coronavirus crisis.
Sarang McLachlan, a budding writer and editor, is receptionist at WPP AUNZ in Sydney.
She believes the pandemic will leave all of us with a deeply altered view of the world.
Her words:
I write this on Sunday the 29 th of March 2020. As Covid-19 takes hold, harsher lockdowns look to be implemented and the way we live changes by the day.
Yesterday’s news is replaced with more current headlines. New infections. New death tolls.
We are in the midst of a surreal experience and the ripple effect gets bigger with every new headline. If anyone ever again thinks that we are not all inter-connected, I’d like to have something of what they are smoking.
I work in a building which houses close to 400 people, all working in media, tech, digital, PR, events and advertising. By nature, I am a social person. I love talking to and interacting with my colleagues every day. Over the course of nine years working in this industry, I have formed close friendships, and like so many others right now, I have realised how much I have taken this interaction for granted, before this dreaded virus. 
Watching this pandemic deepen, hearing the media headlines, and worrying about friends, family, job security and social distancing; I believe this life experience will leave every one of us with a deeply altered view of the world.
Six months from now; (and making a huge assumption that we’ve gotten this virus under control, lockdowns have been lifted and it’s business as some-what usual), what can we predict for our society on how we approach a new way of living?
WORK
Covid-19 has placed almost the entire working world into home isolation. This experience has shown that if you work-from-home, corporate business will not fall apart. This could result in a number of changes post-Corona:
- Instead of fighting peak hour traffic, employees can expect more flexible hours: working from home in the mornings and coming in later to the office, or only when necessary
- Business hours could potentially change. Instead of working the 9:00 am-5:00 pm grind; offices may extend working hours from, for example, 7:00 am-9:00 pm, giving employees the option to choose the hours that suit, as long as they work for clients and team colleagues
- If businesses do decide to accommodate a new working from home structure; this could result in downsizing office space, saving companies huge amounts of money in rent and utility bills.
- Working from home has demonstrated far less of a need for meetings. Much can be resolved easily via e-mail or over a quick video conference. A huge time saver for everyone.
START UPS AND TECHNOLOGY
Necessity is the mother of all invention and I can imagine that new businesses will pop up all over the globe after this pandemic. Gaps in the tech marketplace have been uncovered, people will realise the potential for new ideas and new start-ups will be created.
- Innovative IT and software apps are bound to be released, that align, assist and trouble-shoot how we collectively work together.
- The government may re-calibrate the NBN; looking to other countries, such as South Korea, as a platform to roll out quicker and more efficient services for consumers.
- The need for tech equipment and home office goods will surely surge. Added to this, an entire industry of ergonomic furniture that looks fashionable in the home will be designed. Employees will invest good money into products which improve how they work from home
- Generally, there will be huge spike in tech improvements on all fronts changing the way we work forever.
COMMUNITY
Work and tech aside, how as a community will we look once this pandemic is over? We are currently witnessing the good, the bad and the ugly – shopping hoarders, and toilet paper thieves – But I like to remain positive and believe that Covid-19 will be the wake-up call that our society is given to create a kinder way of life.
- Small businesses will be front and centre. People will try, when they can, to support them and usetheir products and services more.
- People will be more conscious of what they are buying and think before using products to excess
- The pandemic will bring our younger generations together to help our seniors community; whilst we collectively come together to support one another.
- With decline in pollution since the outbreak, individuals will try and aim towards a greener environment, changing the way they use the resources of the earth.
- Social distancing has reminded people how to respect personal space and the importance of hygiene.
- People will appreciate the little things in life. Fresh air, freedom to move around, lunches by the beach and catching up with family and friends.
We may come to live through another Covid-19. Sars and Mers were pre-cursers.
But for now, there will be light after darkness.
New baselines will form on how we continue to work and live within our communities, and around the world.
We can’t control the future, but we can use this experience to shape tomorrow. We must thrive together from this experience.
What else is there if not hope for a better tomorrow?
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