The call of the year

Special difficulties did not cause it – many companies were ready for such a turn of events, because remote work is actively implemented and prior to the epidemic. Institute for statistical studies and Economics of knowledge, HSE at the end of last year conducted a survey among companies in the sector of intellectual services on this topic. The survey involved more than 600 large, medium and small Russian organizations from the fields of IT, law, accounting, management consulting, architecture, engineering, advertising, marketing, etc.

Photo: Maxim Blinov/RIA Novosti Central Bank allowed banks deleted mortgage

data Obtained showed anyway remote working methods used half of the organisations (49.5% of respondents). Most often remotely had to work to specialists in the field of advertising and marketing (61.2%) and information technology (58.2%). In the field of accounting, auditing and law remote work employees practiced by 53 percent of companies. Less remotely worked in architectural and engineering firms (32 percent).

the same survey showed that online formats have become indispensable in business education – they were used 46.4% sector organizations for training and staff development. Remote interaction with the customers was used almost everywhere: communications email used 97.3 percent of companies, 75.1% communicate using instant messengers, 69.4 percent used video calling, 41.2 per cent of companies were exchanged with customers content with cloud storage and repositories. Specialized solutions for project management used a quarter of firms, corporate instant messenger – about one-sixth of companies in the sector.

the Need aboutto specity the possibility of isolation for many workers caused a rise in the need for digital solutions and services for remote work. Thus, according to one of the largest IT companies of Russia, by the end of March the demand for such solutions has grown three times in comparison with the usual indicators. Particularly regarding the software and equipment for remote workplaces, securing remote connections and rent of computing capacities.

Now in most companies, remote work is perceived as temporary, and therefore prefer to subscribe and pay for the lease of equipment that provides for employees the virtual workplace (subsequently, this equipment, the customer can redeem the residual value).

the other Specialists of the company have concluded that translate to “udalenka” all employees today are less than a quarter of companies. But ready to do this almost 80 percent, and that existing solutions they already have enough to work remotely, said almost 90 percent of the surveyed firms.

the experts predict that quarantine and isolation will reduce the rate of backwardness of the market of online trade of Russia from the global total. In particular, in Russia in the sphere of trade of clothes, shoes and accessories, the proportion of online shopping is almost four times lower than in China, where 45 percent of all the fashion shopping is already happening on the network. Therefore, the demand for platform a cloud-based contact centers to take orders really increased several times.

Can cons of remote work to turn into the pros

But anyway, total “udalenke” has become stressful not only for Russian companies but for the whole world. Chief Executive Director of network consulting companies Deloitte punit Renjen says that the abrupt transition to a remote slaveOTE can have serious consequences for system stability, reliability, networking and data security, especially in countries where telecommunication and system environment are not well developed.

“Companies will have to act quickly to ensure the functioning of systems and support personnel for further trouble-free operation. Do not forget about such important factors as the impact of such isolation on staff who may experience social isolation, or a potential loss of innovation as a result of limited personal communication”, – he said in the latest article on effective leadership in the midst of crisis.

the expert Also drew attention that today only a few companies have adequate protocols for cybersecurity. Although the number of phishing and other attacks that target employees working at home, in coffee shops, any other place with an open network has grown considerably. So before to transfer their employees to the home office, the employer should ensure the presence of internal network security and data.