Foreward by Andrew Chilvers
Businesses across the world are undergoing the biggest remote working experiment since Europeans first sailed from their home ports to set up trading posts in Asia 500 years ago.
This time around, however, companies are moving colleagues out of their plush city centre locations to set up offices at home. What was unthinkable only a few months ago is now the new modus operandi for professional services firms and their clients. Crisis management and business continuity have indeed come of age thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.
All this may be difficult for businesses that prefer traditional ways of operating, but most are changing their habits of a lifetime out of necessity. The old adage of preparing for the worst while expecting the best has never been more apt.
Will the professional service business model change as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic?
The professional services landscape has changed forever as the experiment with “working from home” has been a success for many companies. The technology allowing one to connect remotely and efficiently had been ramping up for a long time ahead of the pandemic and was put to the test in a virtual streaming world. Conferences that were cancelled became virtual training events and the streamed webinars have flooded the industry with all of the topics and speakers that were missed in the previous face-to-face world.
Many companies have found that their employees have become much more productive from home. Obviously with the lack of commute time shaved off of the day, one could be more productive remotely, not to mention the comforts of home in many cases. Social media integration on any given day has become the new norm of getting together, even for many who never previously gave it much credibility. Clients have become well equipped in the world of “Zoom” and several other platforms, and haven’t skipped a beat on the conference calls. Overhead in general is getting a second look, as the days of the fancy over-the-top marble and gold trimmed office foyer may be gone forever. Likewise, in our line of work – international trade law – with its $750-$1,000 per hour attorney fees.
Remote working is being seen as the new normal, how will this affect the culture of professional services firms?
Even with the remote working plan in place, the business culture will still remain somewhat the same. In my humble opinion, people in general enjoy the opportunity to work and socialize with their peers face-to-face, and that aspect of the given workday has been sorely missed for many (the family pet is not the best substitute). In our particular case, the Friday round-up at a local pub for a drink to wind down after a busy week is also sorely missed.
We tried a virtual happy hour on Zoom, but it didn’t go very well. Everybody, (10 people) had a drink in hand, sat in front of their computers with cameras, and we proceeded to talk over each other for an hour and finally just gave up. It was truly a cluster of a happy hour remotely done, which would have been so much better in person, where one could at least move from getting stepped on by the group to a one-on-one conversation at any point. There are aspects of the business world that just don’t work virtually and this social aspect is key, as we tend to gravitate towards others in the office who share some of our same goals and interests, and the face-to-face look of sincerity is always observed in discussion.
We have also missed the face-to-face opportunity to network at the conferences we attend, such as with IR Global. The social aspect has always been built into these events, and our partner and founder is a very gregarious individual (she hated the shelter-in-place). At some of the major conferences that we attend in the US, we made it a point to organize various social outings with certain clients and that aspect of the business has been beneficial as a means to connect over the years. It’s amazing how much you can learn over a few drinks.
Our business has been unaffected as we have always been well equipped to work remotely and clients don’t necessarily see any change in our service.
With so many people now working from home using unsecure internet networks, should there be updated rules for data protection compliance? If so, should they be more relaxed given the crisis wrought by the pandemic?
This pandemic is a different world to many where data protection has become a great deal more than just an issue. The GDPR in the EU has always been somewhat more stringent regarding policy in relation to the US, but that may change. For example, videoconferencing services have become the new normal for individuals who have to work or attend school from home. While a variety of platforms are at one’s disposal, Zoom has become the “go-to.” But along with its increase in popularity are consequences, as Zoom is now facing new questions about the data security risk it may pose and its privacy policy. A class action lawsuit was filed against Zoom in California alleging it improperly shares user data. Zoom was accused of overstating its privacy standards and failing to disclose that its service was not end-to-end encrypted.
There is mountains of information to read relevant to data protection and privacy issues in the days of the pandemic, but obviously one needing clarification is the tracking of the COVID-19 individuals who are infected. When studying those countries like South Korea which have been successful in keeping the spread of the virus under control (with tracing software), it becomes clear that new guidelines
need to be set so that authorities can make use of data while at the same time respecting privacy laws. If it comes to this with the Trump administration, it will be a huge issue in the US. The CDC would actually have to find a way to prioritize providing guidance on the use of location data while at the same time keeping it anonymous. The processing of health data for scientific and research purposes would take the lead and that would be a tough one to be blessed in the US, even when it may be a matter of survival.
Braumiller Law Group, PLLC, is a highly respected law firm based in Dallas, TX, U.S. focused on international trade compliance and proven strategies to optimize global trade business practices. www.braumillerlaw.com
