Age of Zoom

We moan about a lot of little things we cannot control. Yet many of those things are good for us.

Remember when we had to get out of the chair or sofa to change TV channels? Constant getting up and down, or badgering one of the kids to turn the channel selector for us? Hard to remember for many of you because TV remote controls have been around for a long time. Today we can sit anywhere in the room and change channels, turn the volume up or down, switch to DVR programs, all from where we sit.

I don’t know about you, but my waistline has shifted considerably. The exercise we once had just adjusting the TV was helpful in keeping our waists trim! No more.

Modern times provide remote controls for many gadgets, even room lighting. Telephone technology has spread to controlling many common household systems from remote locations, even out of country, just by using a phone app. Smart home technology has come a long way baby!

Zoom came along just in time to help our nation cope with the pandemic and work effectively from home. Committee meetings, even small team meetings, could be held over Zoom. It took getting used to, but we quickly pivoted to communicating quickly and collaboratively by Zoom.

Then board meetings, webinar expansion and even roundtable discussions became common Zoom activities. Productivity of remote employees soared. Even on complex corporate campuses where remote work was not in vogue, personnel could meet without moving from their offices to a remote conference room. They could work at their desks using all of the resource materials and carry on a productive conversation without stirring from their desk chair.

Same at home for remote workers. Now national meetings can be held by colleagues posted to different urban areas. We now have work outcomes to prove the worth of Zoom.

The payback has been highly productive staff who now save time, energy and money by eliminating commuting. They also save on wardrobe wear and tear. They can now multitask doing laundry and other routine household tasks that have not detracted from their work.

Employers have come to realize savings on workspace, furniture and fixtures. The constant need for space and more space has been replaced with static space demand and even shedding unused facilities. Overhead expenses have been trimmed greatly as a result.

More surprising then, that a curmudgeon CEO recently fired 900 staff over a Zoom communication. He complained that they were wasting time and shirking job responsibilities by working remotely and staying connected via Zoom. Oh, I know, suspicions grow that remote workers have become sloths in wardrobe, sleeping routines and attention to the job. Too bad supervisors who believe these rumors have not learned to measure staff productivity and accomplishment by other means.

Why haven’t they used the gains of Zoom in their workplace to learn how to measure results of their staff better? Seems they may be at fault here.

Computer support and Zoom communications blend well to improve productivity while eliminating many wasteful investments of capital in facilities, and travel to in-person meetings. The curmudgeon has exhibited his own ignorance and sloth in the art of management.

Besides, firing 900 people over Zoom is just plain tasteless. Bad form, buddy!

December 8, 2021

 

 

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