(originally posted – April 2nd, 2020)
I’ve spent the past 18 years as an Executive Recruiter. During that time I’ve seen a lot of changes. When I started there was no such thing as LinkedIn; everyone had stacks of paper on their desk; and successful people in the Industry would make at least 20-30 cold calls a day (I was a Pro at getting through the dreaded Reception / Gatekeeper).
Things are obviously very different today. We now have a variety of technology-based tools that have changed the game and allowed us to take a more global approach to our business. Over the past year I’ve filled roles in the UK, United States, and the Middle East – all from my desk in Toronto. Using tools like LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Zoom, FaceTime, GoogleHangout, and iMessage, I’ve been able to vastly expand my reach and keep in touch with Clients and Candidates all over the world.
However, over the past 3 weeks as it seems the entire world has been working from home – these Technology Advantages have become a real source of frustration. Simple things that I took for granted are just not as dependable anymore…
Video Conferencing used to be a painless experience (and a great way to screen candidates) but is now glitchy and slow. Screens are freezing consistently, audio is muffled, and lots of people who never used this tech before are not finding it straightforward (I can’t count the number of people who have pressed mute by accident).
Our Cellular Networks are not prepared for this either. I’ve had more dropped calls in the past 3 weeks than in the past 3 years combined. Doing something simple like a 3-way conference is now a risky proposition (as the Network will invariably drop one of the participants). And of course the call quality has gone downhill (I’ve also said “Pardon” more times in the past 3 weeks than in the past 3 years).
I never knew this – but it turns out I’m a little old school. I miss meeting people in person. I miss grabbing a coffee or beer after work. I miss being able to have impromptu meetings with my team and working together to strategize. In general I’m a pretty tech forward individual (albeit a dinosaur to my kids) – but there really is something to be said for personal connections.
So, in general – I miss going into the Office. I miss being able to pick up the phone and easily call someone. I miss being able to visit clients. I miss grabbing a quick lunch with a candidate who happens to be in the neighbourhood.
This is a turning point for the Business World. I believe that the Working from Home movement is here to stay. I understand that my technical issues will eventually be fixed. 5G is coming. Networks will run smoother. People will finally figure out how to use Zoom. I just hope that we don’t lose site of the fact that it is important to interact with people in the real world as well.