The Role Of Technology During The COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has made the world home-bound and this has increased our dependency on technology for work, communication, entertainment, and even for our necessities.

People across the world got isolated during the nationwide lockdown – that was implemented to contain the spread of the highly contagious Novel Coronavirus. It was an irresistible experience for some, who spent most of their time out of the house, even as most people remained constrained to their residences.

Technology in COVID-19

The effect of Covid-19 has been enormous both health-wise and economically and has revealed the role of technology as the ‘savior’ during these challenging times During this time of crisis, people have quickly adjusted to remote working or work from home. What was once a luxury that was granted at the discretion of your superiors has now become a mandate because of the highly contagious nature of the virus

Several people are not able to go to work or are doing work from home while self-isolating themselves. Through the use and role of technology, we can do the work that we used to do before this pandemic. People have rapidly modified themselves to this new way of living. So let’s take a glimpse at some of the trends that have originated.

Role of Technology During Covid

Here are the different roles of technology in the pandemic:

1. Working from Home Policy in the Pandemic

During the lockdown executed by the government, many have shifted to work from home. This change has heightened the use of video conferencing apps and other workplace applications like Google Meet, zoom app, etc., providing us with some pretense of the company as usual. Slack, which allows staff to articulate easily via a chat application, has seen a 40% boost in paid subscribers in this area.

2. Online Grocery Shopping

As people were fearful of venturing out during the expanse of the highly infectious COVID-19 Coronavirus, online grocery app development and online shopping for retailers have seen a huge growth trajectory, owing to the rising demand among customers. Households, primarily with infants and seniors, prefer to remain indoors and place grocery orders online which has resulted in a massive rise in terms of the number of new users.

3. Role of Technology in Communication in Pandemic

An office experience app can connect users, keep employees acquainted in real time, and be a great base for everything work-related, from articles to company events. It can be used to keep a remote workforce engaged, increase wellness, and create a sense of community.

4. There arises a Question now, will Work ever be the Same?

Jennifer Christie, Twitter’s head of human resources, in an article by Buzzfeed, said: “People who were reluctant to work remotely will find that they thrive that way. Managers who didn’t think they could manage remote teams will have a different perspective. I do think we won’t go back.” We may observe a trend in more firms adopting their app to engage employees. Landlords will also need to evaluate a workplace experience app, to keep inhabitants engaged and to enforce security features such as health checks on entrance. 

Also Read: E-commerce Business In COVID-19

5. The Role of Technology in Education

Teachers have joined health and care staff, with 1.2 billion young people affected by school closures, and many others on the front line in the fight against the virus. As the chairman of state school governors in Cambridge said, “It is seen first-hand the tremendous burden that schools and teachers face. We saw remarkable creativity and resilience, even from this small set of interviews, combined with a commitment to ensure that all young people will continue learning during the lockdown.”

Most of the teachers we talked to were computing experts. Their technology experience has positioned them at the forefront, with many moving into leadership positions, encouraging the accelerated roll-out of online learning, and offering valuable support to peers and students alike.

6. Exercising in Pandemic

While gyms are closed, many people are unable to retain their usual fitness habits. This has accelerated the rise in at-home workouts, with people turning to online classes to stay fit. Peloton, providing the live stream and on-demand workouts saw merchandise rise by more than a fifth in just a couple of days. Several fitness chains have popped up into action to offer lockdown-friendly online classes.

Joe Wicks, celebrity nutrition coach has been hosting free P.E. lessons for kids on his YouTube channel, 5 days a week. Joe said on his website: “With the schools closed and with us all spending more time at home, it’s more important than ever that we keep moving and stay healthy and positive.”

7. Health in Pandemic

Wellness and looking after our mental health, especially at this moment are paramount. While all of us are spending a lot more time at home, people have been acquiring technology to enable them to aid wellness and self-care routines. Digital technologies in healthcare had a rise in downloads since the explosion of the coronavirus. The NHS has assembled a great list of their leading tips for looking after your well-being while staying at home. Various people have also been turned to online resources for mental health.

8. Socializing in the Pandemic

People have been utilizing technology to socialize with their friends and relatives. Beating the charts on the App Store in 17 countries, including the UK is Houseparty, a group video chat platform that unites users with their buddies. Houseparty enables unexpected meetings, by emailing them a notification when you’re on the application. The app also delivers in-app games and screen-sharing functionalities. The Living Room Pub Quiz by Big Drop Brewing company had over 4000 teams attending the live stream.

9. Shopping in Pandemic

Supermarkets have had to handle the rise of people stock-piling merchandise amid the anxiety of the pandemic. Besides several supermarket racks bare, non-essential shops closed and many people self-isolating, online shopping has exploded. According to some reports, Amazon will be employing 100,000 additional staff to deal with the growth in demand.

In addition to our necessities, board games, yeast, and books are among some of the most prominent items people are paying for. Waterstones witnessed a 400% increase in online deals. Kit Yarrow a consumer psychologist reportedly said: “People are currently purchasing items based on three needs: to protect, to entertain, and to connect.”

The result of the Pandemic

Technology as an enabler in the pandemic: An older man on video call on iPhone technology has been critical in permitting people to do the things they love remotely; from online fitness classes to uniting with friends. However, technology isn’t always sufficient. At District, we believe that the role of technology is an enabler i.e., a coat to omit friction from our everyday lives. Whether you’re using Uber or Google Maps, technology makes it seamless to roam, meet friends, or get home after a night out.

Technology reminds us of those significant dates, like anniversaries or birthdays, via notifications. It allows us to regulate our next meet-up with family through group chats or other works. District Tech is a prominent provider of workplace experience software, addressing both plugs-and-play and entirely white-labeled apps. Our brand new COVID-Secure Workplace features can enable us to optimize the workplace. It eases employees’ and tenants’ interests or concerns about subsiding to their offices and disseminated spaces post-COVID-19 Pandemic. 

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