Sharp learning curve for bosses as WFH goes global

A 25-year-old data analyst is seen working through a window into his home in Ikoyi, as authorities around the world impose various guidelines on lockdowns and social distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19), in Lagos, Nigeria. Before the new coronavirus began spreading, just 2.9% of the world’s employees were working exclusively or mainly from home, according to the ILO. Within weeks, that figure exploded as social distancing forced companies to launch telework schemes. — Reuters

LONDON: Two weeks into the coronavirus lockdown and Sergei Holmeckis, a boss at Deutsche Telekom’s Czech operations in the city of Brno, was frustrated with staff video calls. His team didn’t like turning on their cameras and the discussion was stilted.

“I started to show them my cat,” Holmeckis said. “It showed the human side of me more and really changed the perception. It got people to switch on their cameras and be more engaged.”