Coronavirus creating virtual reality at work, propelling employees to stay home

The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is affecting not only individuals and families but also employers as they struggle to balance the need for keeping employees healthy and running their businesses. If you've never been inspired to explore remote work for your employees, the current crisis may be compelling you to create a plan (or at least contingencies) that could result in a large chunk of your workforce remaining at home. Read on to learn about four key items you should consider.

Lessons learned in China

For clues on how to manage a mostly virtual workforce, American companies can look to China, where the coronavirus contagion first erupted. “The social experiment of teleworking en masse has unearthed pitfalls, comical moments, and potential opportunities,” Shibani Mahtani wrote from Hong Kong for the Washington Post in early March. “With the virus hitting the United States and Europe, millions more will probably need to crowd into homes with children and spouses while finding a way to stay productive.”

As the number of new U.S. cases surged, many employers moved past blocking nonurgent business travel to begin nixing coming into the office—asking employees to stay home from work. As I was writing this article, most of the companies taking those steps were large tech businesses on the coasts. But, it wouldn't surprise me if mandatory or suggested remote work will soon become a way of life for American employees in every industry from coast to coast.