Telecommuting is not a new concept, but it is definitely trending thanks to COVID. Prior to the pandemic, about 20 percent of people in the US were working from home. This number has tripled as we sit at 71 percent today, according to Pewresearch.org.
Pew conducted a study last October that inquired about the differences between working from home and going to the office. Many preferred to work from home as it freed up their schedules, giving them more time to work on projects and the motivation to accomplish these tasks.
A lack of human interaction has been a downside to working from home. This is why apps like Zoom, GoogleChat and Slack have grown more popular. Technology has been the glue to keeping people connected through this pandemic. With the rise in telecommuters, technology has ramped up its popularity. People are relying heavily on apps to conduct their meetings. Out of the people who use these types of video services, 63 percent say they are fine with the amount of time being spent on them and believed it was a good substitute to the in-person interactions, says Pewresearch.org.
Popular platforms
- 81% use video calling or online conferencing services like Zoom or Webex at least some of the time. (59% use these often).
- 57% use instant messaging platforms such as Slack or Google Chat. (43% use these often)
- 63% say they are fine with the amount of time they spend on video calls. (37% say they are worn out)
As many people said they have had more freedom to get work done, parents are struggling to accomplish this, according to a Pew research study. Parents with children younger than 18 admitted that all or most of the time find it difficult to be able to get work done without interruptions, which is a stark comparison to the 20 percent without children admitting to the struggle.
The pandemic has affected the way we communicate with the world. Some of the most obvious changes are fewer in-person interactions and of course wearing a mask. A positive outlook to this is many are becoming better at using communication technologies, which could be more beneficial moving forward.
