Work not remotely the same

Along standing expression that captures the tendency of older people to prefer home life over outings to exotic places is: For the older person a ‘good night out’is actually a good night in. That attitude is perhaps Mother Nature preparing me – I mean, them - mentally for the coming days when they won’t be able to travel. That clear line of demarcation is changing, thanks – or no thanks! – to COVID19. Almost overnight the word ZOOM transferred its own significance from the noise of your neighbour’s car streaking past your own, to a method of communication that threatens to transform society.

I say ‘threatens’ in the lighter sense because, while it has dark potential implications for global society, it has also proved itself to be a saviour to business and human welfare during the pandemic. Companies and other institutions have been able to continue to operate,with individuals protected from redundancy. Modern technology has enabled a portion of the global workforce – mainly office staff – to work from home. Climate control is improving from a reduced emission of greenhouse gases by motor vehicles clogging the roads as individuals drove to work. At this point in time, the advantages of working from home – or rather working from somewhere that’s not the normal workplace – have suggested that the professional world has changed irreversibly as a result of modern technology such as ZOOM. There is, however, a visible kickback in this trend. Increasingly, professional workers are stating a marked preference for the traditional workplace. It’s not difficult to work out the reasons for this. The daily personal interaction is valuable to the majority of human beings. We weren’t made to sit in front of machines for our working life. It’s an artificial and socially counterproductive way of life. Nothing can match that cheerful exchange of facetoface greetings with office staff, or the professional interaction with individuals with whom you have had dialogue, even disagreement, over the months and years; with five minutes of social catch-up in between serious discussions.

Contributions

All good and healthy contributions to social skills development and stronger emotional intelligence. Interestingly, there also appears to be a significant protest from middle management, not least because the supervision skills previously used to get the best from staff simply isn’t there in the same way when staff are no longer there in person.

For commuters, remote working has eliminated the time wasted driving to work in congested cities. Travelling by train, an hour in each direction in one period of my life in England, enabled me to read The Guardian newspaper and gain knowledge about our world, and hear opinions from the experienced in society. That was time I might not otherwise have provided for myself during an era of lovely but noisy little children at home. The benefits of train travel have sadly been somewhat reduced by the presence of a rather tiresome little gadget that enables some individuals to have one-way conversations with ‘the other half,’ while indifferent to the disapproving looks from more considerate travellers.

But closer reflection on the implications of remote learning reveals a number of more subtle changes. There are health benefits working at the office. The exercise getting to and from it, as well as the inevitable moving around the office for discussion with colleagues rather than only ever having the opportunity by phone. While the extra cups of tea and jam buns available on the spot at home, and too tempting to resist, are not good for the net calories figure; and, of course, the human figure!

Changed

A further potential downside of working remotely is the fusing of work and leisure time. Before the Industrial Revolution, work, home and travel merged seamlessly together; then it all changed. Sections of society are going back to those earlier times, though there are hazards on the way; at least socially, where individuals cruise off for a game of golf during the day while working in the evening hours previously allocated to leisure; not too popular a choice in the context of family life. An extreme version of this could be where you find yourself working all the time, which would not be mentally and socially healthy. But what has also emerged is the ability to live wherever you want. I doubt that living in Hawaii while reporting to an employer based in New York is going to work, but moving to a beautiful part of the country fifty kilometres away from your existing home in a densely populated and higher priced area, opens exciting new opportunities. Or going on holiday to a cottage rented for leisure purposes then extended by you to carry out your remote work programme. The only constraint would be children and their need to go to school. But that won’t be for all, or for ever. Remote working could definitely prove to be permanent status for some. between the ministers. They were, in fact, just as concerned about how it got to be out there.

The Secretary to Cabinet, Victor Nxumalo, was quick to say the honourable ones were just joking and were not in a Cabinet meeting. He was reported to have explained that all Cabinet decisios are taken at Cabinet and not on social media.

Really now? Does Nxumalo mean to tell us that all decision taken by government happened in physical Cabinet meetings? I find that that preposterous and insulting of our intelligence. What is of particular concern for me though is the vindictiveness and disdain in the tone of the ministers in that leaked chat. Casual as they seemed to be, the seriousness in their expressed sentiments was real. I am of the strong view that had that chat not been leaked when it was, there would have been an interruption in the social media platforms. It’s really disturbing how the ministers can be so casual on matter as serious as this.

The Minister of Information Communication Technology, Princess Sikhanyiso, as the willing trigger in this information shut down, must know that the world is watching and this will not go without serious reprisal. We can shut and open the internet willynilly for flimsy reasons such as these. This is just no joking matter. Our hospitals are lacking medication due to our government not prioritising the lives of emaSwati who are dying unnecessarily. We’ve had instances of no food in hospitals and a litany of other issues; and our ministers are busy minding superfluous things. Even the new brooms have gotten so comfortable there they are joining in on the party and trivialising such important issues. We still have a very long way to go and the current crop of leaders are not the ones to take us with. We are not getting our money’s worth from these men and women. We just don’t matter to you, do we?