We can imagine the angst of the end of March 2020 when the government told everyone to stay home. Companies did not know what remote working was at that stage, and we thought it would be a temporary shut-down.

As everyone settled in to learn some form of online meeting tool,  little did we expect it would be almost two years down the line and still not fully back to the “old normal?”

But, for many companies and employees alike, the pandemic highlighted some  tools and opportunities that we can take into 2022.

Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, and Skype

Only the techy guys were using these tools properly.  For most companies, it was a bandwidth expense they did not want to pay. But now, it is a standard across all company computers, and online meetings are the preferred option now.

When companies put guidelines in place for these check-in meetings, they can be very effective. Some of the tips are to schedule meetings for 45 minutes instead of an hour, and it allows for a comfort break and a new cup of coffee. Meetings should only have the critical members attending and still need an agenda to get it accepted.

These should be the basics to avoid staff being in death by meetings and not having time to get the work done.

Online client meetings

The time-wasting drive to clients to have face-to-face meetings is a thing of the past. Yes, it is still essential to check in with them regularly to maintain a relationship, but the weekly or daily check-ins are now all online. The cost saving in fuel, wear and tear on the vehicles, lower traffic counts, and of course, the time has been fantastic.

Flexi-time and remote working

The benefit of not having to have your team in the office in a central place means companies can hire for skill and not for the location. It does not matter if your developer is in Cape Town and your sales manager is in Bloemfontein. The benefit of a lifestyle change to a quieter city offers workers opportunities they did not have in the past.

Families can now spend quality time with their kids, even managing to stay at home with them if they are sick, without impacting their work.

Save money on office space

For small businesses, the cost-saving of not having to rent office space is enormous. Clients are accustomed to meetings in coffee shops or online, and it is the standard now and the norm going forward. The cost benefits for SMME’s are essential to their growth and sustainability in the future. As the SMME is the job creation of the future, we need to look after them too.

Bizcash is a South African company that wants to grow SME’s in SA to ensure a sustainable future for all.

Please speak to our team to find out more about how we can help your business with expansion plans with alternative funding options. Get in touch with us on 0861 93 93 93 or email us on info@bizcashscf.co.za or contact us here.

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