SUCCEEDING FROM ANYWHERE
In the first few weeks of 2020. a microscopic virus turned the world's workforce into remote workers seemingly overnight.
Workers around the world soon decamped from their offices to set up new workspaces in their homes.
Digital tools such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Chat and Whats App, to name just a few, went from useful supplements to becoming the primary facilitators of interactions with coworkers and clients.
These rapid wholesale changes were unprecedented, but the remote work format is not new. Domestic and global companies have had virtual work arrangements for over 30 years. In fact Independence Realty began offering the remote work format to all its agents in 1991! This decision was made solely to save money, eliminate office overhead and offer better working conditions (and commissions) for our affiliates.
Cisco launched a systematic remote work program in 1993. Employees worked from home and kept flexible hours by using broadband technology to communicate with the main office from any remote location. Cisco reported saving $193 million in 2003, as well as an increase in employee productivity.
The remote work revolution was accelerated by the sudden and severe COVID outbreak. Chances are you are part of the massive transition that has forced companies to rapidly advance their digital footprint, including cloud storage of digital document records.
When Independence Real expanded the late 1990s and the 2000s, transaction files were primarily paper-based. Soon the large number of paper files became overwhelming. We invested in an industrial-grade Canon production scanner capable of 90 page scans per minute and a heavy duty shredder to shred all paper files into confetti for privacy and security. All independence Realty's transaction records have been kept in digital format since 2004. Initially it was a chore to convert such a large number a paper transaction files into digital (PDF) format. But nowadays most remote workers have a desktop scanner to digitally convert paper files and use online services such as Google Drive, Dropbox or similar cloud-based services to turn in their files.
Our decision to adopt a totally remote work format in 1991 was primarily a cost-saving decision on our part. We specifically wanted to avoid falling into the usual office trap.
Our remote work concept was met with deep skepticism by Real Estate professionals accustomed to the traditional office work setup. In all fairness the technological tools that existed at the time were not as polished as they are today. Internet speeds were much slower back then (remember dial up internet?) and cloud-based services simply didn't exist then. The underlying technology was still novel. We gained acceptance and recognition when Smartphones became mainstream in the early 2000s.
All of a sudden people came to realize that you could actually conduct business from your iPhone!
As you may have discovered, there is no doubt that remote work has its benefits. Commute time disappear, office costs get slashed.
Are you self-disciplined enough to participate in the remote work revolution? Are you motivated enough ?
- That is a decision only YOU can make.
When you are ready to thrive in the Remote Work World, consider joining our independent Network of Real Estate Agents .
Email us ind595@gmail.com OR CALL (619)980-7325 if you have any questions.
Be a part of this exciting trend, JOIN our growing team of Professionals!
