Author: Major General Vijay Pande, VSM
“If everyone is thinking alike then someone ain’t thinking”
Gen George Patton
The Covid pandemic has influenced lives like never before. Nothing has been left the same as the disease spreads like wildfire, engulfing new geographies everyday. Individuals, societies and nations continue to grapple with the consequences of this unseen enemy. Lockdowns were the initial responses and were believed to have slowed down the deluge. Unfortunately, the ground realities have been different, irrespective of the narratives of those in power. The unbearable impact of such draconian measures on economies worldwide soon brought in the realisation that the pandemic was not going away in a hurry and governance, businesses and livelihoods needed to adapt to the new normal if they wished to survive.
Among the many adaptations, “Work from Home” (WFH) has become the preferred choice for most businesses. Technology plays an enabler facilitating real time virtual interactions. There are advantages of this arrangement no doubt. Instant virtual connect en masse was a logistic and cost burden before Zoom and Google Meet invaded our cyber space. Meetings, interviews, virtual tours of field locations all could be addressed by this new phenomenon. The world seems to have found an answer to the woes of commuting to work and sitting in offices. The infatuation with the features and the ease of exploiting it has virtually (pun intended) tied most of the workforce to their laptops and mobile devices. No wonder many tout it as a win win for both the employer and the employee.
What is not often spoken of is the severe negative impact of the absence of direct leadership in the field due to this addiction to the screen. The proverbial “ear to the ground” and knowing “the pulse of the people” have become distant mirages. Personal interaction and presence at critical points to influence decision making cannot be replaced by virtual presence on a screen. The personal impact of leaders on their workforce on the ground has no alternative.
Surely if WFH is such a panacea then why did the world have to wait for COVID to adapt to it in such a large scale? Why was it not a common practice in the pre COVID era? Can the nation’s borders be guarded by WFH or can law and order be maintained by sitting in front of laptops only?
The answer is only one. There is no alternative to direct physical interaction.
Most of us also do not realise that incessant use of the virtual space often results in important activities being missed out. A visit to the field will result in many activities being undertaken simultaneously and also influence many other activities from the cognitive angle. The mere presence of a leader is enough to galvanise his men. No Zoom meeting can ever achieve this.
Clearly it is time to tie the shoelaces once again and walk ahead of our fears.
5 replies on “Work from Home The Devil’s Alternative.”
Excellent article , hit the nail.
Sir,
Your observations have hit the nail on the head.
The humanint and personal touch is missing in this WFH culture.
You’ve hit the bullseye 🎯.
Managing change remains the biggest challenge.
Loved how you aptly captured the essence of the disruption this arrangement has caused in our lives!
A very concise and clear article that aptly highlights the necessity of a leader’s presence on ground which cannot be substituted by any virtual means.