Unexpected assumptions about first impressions, gut reactions, and the future of work become embedded in conventional knowledge. Even when they are proven to be false, people still believe them.
Here are three big myths about the future of work.
Myth 1: Zoom fatigue is a real problem
When the first wave of the epidemic lockdown hit in 2020, and workers began working on the scale from home, everyone started complaining about “zoom fatigue”.
And “zoom fatigue” was real. The push for isolation drives people to make excessive use of video conferencing tools. Zoom and its competitors dominate the workday, most of the day is taken by video call. And it spreads in private time, as people start having long video chats with family and friends.
The disease reminds me of the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome epidemic when millions of people started using PC-and-mouse combinations all day at work in the 1990s or Phantom Vibration Syndrome when people started carrying smartphones in their pockets in the early 2000’s. Did.
You don’t hear much about these terms anymore because people adapt.
The same goes for “zoom fatigue”. People have adapted. Meetings are getting shorter and crisper. Long private video calls are declining. And people are becoming psychologically accustomed to video conferencing.
A new study from the Pew Research Center found that three-quarters (74%) of surveyed employees who use video conferencing equipment are “finer” in the time they spend using it.
Yes, “zoom fatigue” still exists. And, yes, higher replacement technology (such as avatar-based AR meetings) is coming. But it turns out that “zoom fatigue” is not a problem people think.
Myth 2: You can only quickly get to places with local broadband
Work from home, hybrid, remote and digital migration revolutions were built on the foundations of emerging technology.
This has come with significant progress. Home PC. Web. Home networking. Mobile computer. WiFi. Smartphone.
Two recent big advances have come from a company, SpaceX.
The company’s Starlink satellite service, which charges $ 110 per month for a fast internet connection anywhere in its growing service area, enables remote employees to work from afar – in a small town, on a remote island or in the mountains.
Starlink eliminates the need to be in a big city to quickly access an Internet connection. As a result, the service surpassed one-quarter-million subscribers in March.
Last week, the company made another giant jump.
It has announced that for an additional 25 per month, you can take the service with you. So bring your satellite dish on the street or abroad, and you’ll still have fast internet – as long as you’re still in the service area, which includes almost all of North America and most of Europe.
These two giant Starlink Lips mean you can get to the Internet fast – and really work – in a huge area without having to worry about connectivity. Starlink is another technology product that radically expands the options for living and working as a digital nomad.
After all, the company continues to increase network performance with advanced software and additional satellites in orbit.
Myth 3: Great resignation is a disaster
More than 47 million people quit their jobs last year.
And the trend continues until 2022. In general, job turnover in the post-epidemic world has increased by 20% and remains at that level.
And the reason is clear: flexible work, long-distance work mainstream and flexible living space – especially the ability to relocate to more affordable areas – have dramatically reduced the penalty for resignation.
The headlines are alarming, it is behaving like a crisis. But what is it?
For starters, the scale of the problem is exaggerated. While 47 million quitting their jobs sounds disastrous, it does help to know that 42 million people quit their jobs before the epidemic hit in 2019. So the number of job losses is high, but not That Higher up.
Most importantly, people who have recently left their jobs are leaving because they feel empowered to improve their lives – their jobs and their position – where previously they were too limited or afraid to do so.
If anyone thinks that keeping employees in a life they don’t want is a kind of corporate advantage, I have to disagree.
Instead, it is better for employees to have the freedom to choose the life of their choice, a job that meets their sense of purpose, and for companies to work harder to improve the employee experience and determine how best suits them. Workers
The so-called “great resignation” is really an opportunity in disguise.
Copyright © 2022 IDG Communications, Inc.