Here is what most companies will learn from sudden enforced remote working

Peter du ToitI'm the founder of FutureWork IQ where I spend my time assisting businesses to design digital workplaces or “offices in the cloud.” These environments enable companies to allow flexible and remote working for their teams. I also teach the digital literacy, fluency, communication and collaboration skills needed to work in these modern technology-rich workplaces.

(BREAKING NEWS from Italy this morning: “In the early hours of Sunday, Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte signed a decree enacting forced quarantine for the region of Lombardy – home to more than 10 million people and the financial capital, Milan – and multiple other provinces, totaling around 16 million residents.”)

Globally this is what most businesses will learn if forced to physically distance:

1. We should have prepared for something like this earlier
2. We didn’t realize that there is MUCH more involved than just sending everyone home with their laptop
3. Communication & collaboration virtually is a very important skill – we should have spent more time acquiring it.
4. Virtual Work Skills (aka Digital Literacy and Fluency) is non-negotiable for remote work
5. It takes careful design to create a workplace that easily accommodates flexible and remote working

What would you add to the list?