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Now, going to a physical workspace assigned to a particular organization is gradually becoming outdated. With the sudden halt in the world that came as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of companies were compelled to adopt remote work (Work from home) as the only option. With the constant changes happening around, it is obvious that remote work is here to stay. Working from home saves significant costs for companies. It can also help employees save money, reduce pollution, reduce commutation, and improve work-life balance. Innovation has just given us the establishment and technologies, It depends on us to build better controls & methodologies to make a maintainable distant work culture. The major drawbacks in implementing work from home strategy in Nigeria’s workspace are productivity, learning, cybersecurity, power, time management, efficient communication, and work-life balance. Thankfully, there are tools available to overcome this situation. The adaptation of technology tracking productivity has improved in the Nigerian workspace. Despite the obvious advantages of remote work, some companies in Nigeria have swiftly turned back to adopting the traditional 9-5 work schedule after the 2020 lockdown. Other start-up businesses (technology) in Nigeria are embracing remote work as the new normal because of reasons like; reduction in the daily running of the business and a reduced need for some work facilities. Remote work is the future of work in Nigeria, especially with technology as an aid. Remote work technologies used by Nigerians include:
- Adaptive WiFi: Wi-Fi allows workers to efficiently and reliably commute to your digital workplace. To stay connected with co-workers, one needs an internet service that responds to their needs dynamically which is Adaptive WiFi. Adaptive WiFi uses artificial intelligence to chart where, when your home and devices use Wi-Fi the most. It then allocates the appropriate bandwidth accordingly. It can be seen as air traffic control for a connected home. This network ensures that not only does everything in your house get the Wi-Fi it needs but also that heavily used devices get the most powerful and secure service. WiFi service providers in Nigeria include spectranet, Tizeti, CobraNet, IPNX, swift networks, Mtn Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, etc.
- Video Calling Service: The switch to remote work across the world might as well be called “the Zoom boom”. Face-to-face meetings are the backbone of many businesses, discarding them altogether isn’t an option. Platforms like Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams, and Google Hangouts make it easy to stay in touch with co-workers or clients across distances. While video chats might not have the same feel as in-person meetings, they provide an effective alternative in times like these. Example of this in Nigeria is softtalk (founded by simple Azenabor). Other video calling service providers in Nigeria are, stallion visions, lifesize, bitswift, connect sip, etc.
- Instant Communication Tools: As helpful as video chats are, not every problem requires a face-to-face solution. Working from home, there’s a need to communicate with your co-workers via texts. Email may be an option, constantly refreshing your inbox and formatting messages can be a tedious time drain. Instant chat tools like Slack, Telegram, WhatsApp lets one simulate the ease of in-office communication over the web. With the ability to communicate privately or in groups, one can ensure that whoever needs to see messages will do so instantly. A typical example in Nigeria is quabbly, a platform that teams and businesses use to create internal applications to manage and automate their processes with no coding required. It allows individuals to communicate with co-workers anywhere they are.
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- Project Management Platforms: Most businesses use some kind of project management platform. These, however, become more important as workers head home. Without the ability to check in regularly in person, staying on top of different plans and products can quickly become difficult. While these challenges aren’t easily overcome, centralizing your company in one platform is a good idea. Project management software teamwork suggests laying down a project management plan for work. It is vital for guaranteeing that things don’t veer off track later down the line. Regularly providing updates on how projects are coming along, and encouraging co-workers to do the same can help cut down on unnecessary meetings. Quabbly is also a project management platform in Nigeria that allows businesses to create internal applications fit for their business processes.
- Digital Assistants\Chatbots: The market for digital assistant products grows by more than 50% every year. Most workers are already somewhat familiar with digital assistants and chatbots. But few are currently using them to their full potential on the job. Digital assistants can make calls, send emails, take notes, respond to messages and do so much more. Using digital assistants at home can allow you to continue to work as you cook, clean, or perform other important household duties. Some digital assistants can also enable you to hold conference calls without the difficult coordination they typically require.
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