Can Tech and Pragmatic Empathy Bring About the Remote Work Revolution

In the US, we have been seeing corporations start to demand that their workers come back to the office for over a year. After years of functional remote work, this is a tough sell.

Amidst the skyrocketing prices of everything, including gas, and a pandemic that is still somewhat ongoing, it is possibly the hill that some companies will die on.

Apple’s inflexible Return to Office Policy caused some employees to leave the company entirely, for example. If even the prestigious Apple can’t keep people, that is bad news for other employers.

Even following the Great Resignation, American companies are refusing to change. They are not willing to respect the wishes of workers.

While some US corporations are demanding that everyone return, blue-collar workers and even physical laborers in other countries are still working from home. Smart tech and clever empathetic thinking are leading the way around the world.

Let’s take a look at how the world is embracing remote work.

The Blue-Collar Remote Work Revolution Has Begun

Japan is leading the way here. They are using tech to make blue-collar jobs easier, more accessible, and even entirely remote in the future.

A Japanese convenience chain store called FamilyMart is pushing the limits of virtual work. They are experimenting with using remotely controlled robots to stock shelves.

Using a VR system, employees could work stocking shelves from just about anywhere. This also opens up this job to those who are physically disabled.

Another example of this is American heavy equipment maker Cat. Their tools and vehicles are commonly used for dangerous jobs in a wide variety of industries. This includes construction, forestry, mining, agriculture, and defense.

Cat is working on developing remote-control equipment to keep workers out of harm’s way in risky work environments. Imagine if, in the future, road work was performed remotely, for example.

Of course, not all work can be performed remotely. However, we are looking at a present and future where more and more work is. And this includes more people and industries than you might think.

Overwhelmingly, American workers demand it.

Why More Blue Collar US Employers May Be Forced To Embrace Remote Work

There has been a lot of speculation on what exactly has led to the Great Resignation and shifting dynamics between workers and employers in the US.

It is complex. However, this one factor is not explored a lot in the media. The truth is that many workers in blue-collar industries spent the pandemic transitioning into white-collar work.

After years of being told to “just get better jobs” if they don’t like poor treatment and lower wages for more physically demanding work, many did.

According to a report by the Oliver Wyman Forum:

Many came to feel that their employers did not care if they lived or died. This is not incredibly motivating.

The Source of Supply Chain and Worker Shortage Issues?

Some common problems you have heard about lately are likely “supply chain issues” and the “worker shortage.”

It is harder to get car parts and medical supplies. At many restaurants and stores, waits are long or the stores are in disarray because they “can’t find employees” or “no one wants to work anymore.”

Research by Brad Hershbein, an economist at the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, shows that it’s because many people have left these jobs entirely for white-collar work.

In fact, they report that 4 out of every 5 people who tried successfully transitioned.

The Answer? Future Tech and Pragmatic Empathy

Many companies are currently working on innovative remote work solutions. One of them is Avaya.

Microsoft is also trying to approach these new challenges via tech:

The Benefits of Tech For All

However, as we have seen with the workers who process Argan nuts in Morocco, this is not only a question of applying technology.

It is a question of companies being willing to apply pragmatic empathy to their operations and make changes to attract and retain workers.

Workers who do the important physical labor which keeps society going day-to-day are amongst the most disrespected and lowest-paid in the global workforce. This is also true in the US.

Foreward thinking American companies like Cat are already working to address this by improving job conditions using technology.

Final Thoughts on the Remote Work Revolution

The pandemic has sparked a widespread transformation in the power dynamics between workers and employers.

The companies that recognize this and embrace it are ahead of the curve, while many of those that refuse to engage with the new reality of work are experiencing issues.

For example, the American fast-food chain Raising Cane’s had to send its corporate staff into its restaurants to work during the pandemic due to the labor shortage.

Of course, some jobs cannot be done remotely. But, many more can be done remotely than many major corporations are quick to admit.

Many corporations that want workers back in the office have been making the odd argument, after over 2 years of functional remote work, that remote work is impossible.

For example, Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt told CNBC:

“I don’t know how you build great management virtually.”

At Chop Dawg, we have been a thriving virtual-only company for over a decade. Around the world, many other companies of all kinds are finding ways to make WFH work for them. And it’s not just companies in tech.

Data even shows that the majority of workers would take a pay cut if it meant they could work from home. This is likely partially because the costs of getting to work or so high.

Most Americans especially do not have access to reliable public transportation, meaning that they would have to pay for a car, car vehicle maintenance, and gas. Depending on their wage, this alone might take such a large chunk out of their salary that many jobs are simply not worth the cost it would take to get there.

Companies may have to accept these new worker demands if they want to attract and retain talent across industries.