COVID-19 has reshaped the world in unexpected and drastic ways. Here, we’re going to focus specifically on how it has changed the way we use technology. We’ll look at both the way it changed how technology is used, and the new technologies it has inspired. We’ll look at the use by individuals and industries, and make a couple of guesses about how those changes will affect the world as we progress past the pandemic.
Sound good? Let’s dive in:
Remote Work
Remote work is here, and it’s becoming increasingly likely that it’s here to stay. There’s evidence that business owners are going to use much less office space, as large commercial property owners cut back their real estate portfolios. What’s more, there’s evidence that remote work actually leads to an increase in productivity.
Remote work and technology are, of course, intrinsically linked – you can’t teleconference without a good Internet connection. That’s going to have consequences for tech-related infrastructure (which we’ll discuss in greater length later), but it will also have consequences for workers themselves.
At home, many families are having to deal with changes to education and childcare. Every member of the family will simultaneously need access to the Internet and electronic devices. Kids attending classes via Zoom, watching YouTube videos with their class, and downloading homework – all of this takes a faster connection (and, at times, a lot of patience)
Companies will, undoubtedly, employ a wide variety of different productivity and messaging apps, from Slack and Microsoft Teams to Skype and Zoom. What’s more, employees will have to download all of the technologies that are relevant to their work, use secure network connections via VPNs, and more.
All this is certainly going to change the face of the IT department; businesses may need more IT services as they create work-from-home setups which inevitably must be standardized. Moreover, businesses will need to adapt to IT via telecommunications; remote desktop sharing and remote tech support will become invaluable, while an in-office IT department will no longer be able to walk over to your desk and fix your problems.
People should be aware that employers may continue to turn the homes of their employees into their office spaces. This could mean qualifying for certain work-from-home tax rebates!
The Reshaping of Industries
There is a lot to feel sad about during this pandemic; for me, one of the saddest realities has been not being able to attend funerals in person. Funeral homes are also adjusting to our new reality, offering live-streamed and recorded versions of their services.
This kind of adjustment has occurred throughout the vast majority of industries, from healthcare to hospitality. Restaurants are having to offer delivery and pick-up in order to survive. To avoid COVID transmission, physicians, therapists, and other healthcare workers have had to move to virtual appointments via video conferencing instead of in-person appointments, whenever possible.
The entertainment industry has been particularly shaken by COVID. Bands whose primary source of revenue was touring have had to resort to selling merch and conducting live-streamed, socially distanced shows. Movie productions have been delayed, and the closure of many theatres may result in a shift of production toward Netflix and other streaming services.
School
Many of the most prestigious universities in the USA have announced that they will be working with a remote or hybrid-remote model of education. Parents and teachers are trying to coordinate together to create online lesson plans and remote learning opportunities.
Once again, these changes see the use of technologies that are a common trend in our discussion: video conferencing apps and secure networks over which work can be shared. Whether or not these changes will be long-term remains to be seen; the longer we’re asked to stay at home, the more digital and remote education platforms are likely to be made available.
Chilling at Home
Going out and about is quite hard in a lot of places right now, which has led to an increase in home-based activities. Netflix has seen massive growth as a result of the pandemic. Instead of large-scale family gatherings, people have resorted to using Zoom and FaceTime to get much-needed interaction with loved ones, especially the elderly and people who are at a high risk of infection.
And, of course, there are families with some very energetic children who can’t go outside. That means a lot of YouTube videos to encourage indoor physical activity, video games, and other forms of entertainment to keep their young minds busy.
Infrastructure
Add this all up, and one can see a pretty obvious consequence: a lot of people are online all of the time right now. This means reliable, fast, Internet connections are more important than ever. This may lead to a rush toward comprehensive 5G networks, but there are a host of potential problems surrounding who will supply the parts. The day this article is being written, Britain banned Huawei from participating in their 5G networks because of security concerns.
We might expect continued investment in wireless and fibre infrastructure as telecommuting goes from being profitable to essential for the good of public health. We might even see these infrastructure projects make their way to Canada’s most remote communities, allowing these communities to isolate themselves from the pandemic while still remaining productive.