WORK IN THE BALANCE How has productivity fared during Covid-19 and what lies ahead? By Malcolm Foster
Isolated at home, many of us have spent the past few months working on laptops in the bedroom and joining countless video calls. The big, sudden change thrust upon us as a result of the coronavirus pandemic has forced a rethink of how companies operate. One question being asked is: How productive are workers in the Covid-19 era? Among members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) involved in human resources, as well as other experts, the answers vary widely. PERSONAL FACTORS Industry, task, working conditions at home, equipment, speed of internet access, and even people’s personalities play a role in the effectiveness of remote work. Researchers and software developers, for example, can do their work fairly easily from home. Some say they are even more productive compared with being at the office, because there are fewer interruptions—unless you have young children who don’t understand why mom or dad are glued to their screens for hours.
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Other jobs and tasks, such as working on collaborative projects or dealing with personnel issues, can suffer from the lack of faceto-face interaction, undermining productivity and effectiveness. On the plus side, not having to spend two or three hours each day commuting on crowded trains allows employees to devote more time and energy to their job during work hours and personal pursuits during off time. Many welcome the extra flexibility to take care of private tasks between work tasks, such as calling the doctor or cooking dinner between conference calls, creating a better work–life balance—something that is regularly talked about as a goal of the modern workplace. This has made some feel more productive about their life in general, and thus more motivated. But others thrive on human interaction. Being isolated for weeks on end can cause them to begin feeling lethargic and uninspired, leading to lower productivity. “Some people feel more energized and creative when around people,” said Nancy Ngou, an associate partner at EY Advisory and Consulting and ACCJ governor. “You can just recharge your energy by walking up to somebody and having a conversation. But when you’re working remotely, that’s much more difficult.” A recent internal survey at EY shows that a majority of employees feel more productive working from home, but there are also those who feel less productive, Ngou said. Still, despite the hurdles and adjustments, many employees have told her that the greater flexibility of working from
