We can't deny the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has on our personal, and especially work lives. The planning of seemingly simple interactions we had prior to the global pandemic have been reconsidered to fit the new normal. Parties and special events that we took for granted have now been scaled down-to-size in order to relish them in the comfort of our own homes.
Many aspects of our lives have been affected and accordingly modified to fit the mold – and one of those aspects is work which forms a good part of our day-to-day living. Despite everything, our work lives must continue. That puts us in a place where we wonder about things like:
- “Can I work as hard as I did before even without getting out of bed?”
- “Do I need to stay in touch with my workmates and not stop building rapport with them?”
- “Is it still necessary to attend so many meetings?”
In consideration of all the changes in the past year, one thing remains true: Innovation in this tumultuous time has not stopped us from connecting with others and staying driven amidst the difficulties.
Changes in the use of Office Technology during the pandemic
The major change in our work lives primarily include where we work. According to a recent poll of 500+ marketing leaders, 73% of them say that they have been working from home for more than three months.
Along with these changes, respondents have expressed their sentiments about difficulties that arose in meeting their daily output quota.
Half of them in the digital marketing industry agreed that their decision-making has been negatively affected by the circumstances. Since decision making is an element of planning, the processes involved in planning has been changed. Moreover, feedback from their colleagues have been both hard to give and receive in the new setting. Lastly, their productivity has dwindled and it has been quite a struggle to stay motivated and keep their teams afloat.
The difficulties that COVID-19 has presented is all too apparent, and if you feel the same way about this we can assure you that you are not an isolated case. Keeping a digital marketing agency productive and effective is a challenge, but others in the industry have adapted means in order to survive. Now, we can learn from them.
Outsourcing marketing projects
The laying-off of full-time employees to cut costs have led some organizations to put their trust into freelancers and contract workers. In an effort to meet demands paired with the difficulty of production with their regular employees, outsourcing projects has seemingly solved the creativity problem. Freelancers come into the picture to help marketing and design teams avoid burnout and be their best selves for work. However, a digital marketing agency opting to outsource some outputs must also deal with the higher demand for communication and collaboration that a freelancer needs to complete a project. This is because he is not as accustomed to the rhythm of production as opposed to a regular worker.
This is where instant messaging platforms like Google Teams, Microsoft Teams and Zoom have performed well during this time where constant communication is a must when keeping in-touch with third-party contractors.
In-house marketing agents need new technology
An ongoing theme in the time of the pandemic is the unique opportunity to innovate with collaborators remotely.
To support marketers and to boost their productivity, new technologies must be adopted. In-house marketing teams who also manage websites, have found that HubSpot CMS allows for remote collaboration which is great for keeping up with customers.
Monitoring and employee support systems
Employee burnout is all-too real in the time where merely survival is the main thing we should be prioritizing. It's safe to say that the pandemic has brought about the widening of our workspaces to include also our homes. The line between rest and work have been blurred since your bed can now also be your desk. Studies suggest that during the pandemic employees have increased their expectations of their employers, noting that the latter should be their safety net in these trying times.
To avoid stress, what we do under normal circumstances is to get-together. But of course, the virus has had its way of changing that. We counter this with readily-available technology, using Zoom to hold virtual parties and team-building activities can ease the mind of the worker as it normally would. Moreover, employers have increasingly help their employees by giving them additional financial assistance, improved sick leave benefits, and adjusted hours for their employees for personal matters.
Conclusion
‘Difficult’ might just be the most used word in 2020, but these on-going trends have made it easier for people in digital marketing agencies to cope. Now, it is time for you to employ these methods and processes in your own workplace. We have all met challenges along the way, and these tips will only help to combat them. Just don’t forget the power of good collaboration, and connection in order to be our most productive and driven selves.
