COVID-19 pandemic is making organizations worldwide change their structures and approaches. Millions of employees had to switch to remote work for the first time; the fact entails numerous advantages and challenges. This essay focuses on how computers and other technology resources may promote telework in the Virgin Islands Department of Labor. It argues that despite some difficulties that the transition to remote work entails, it can be quite beneficial for the agency
The Virgin Islands Department of Labor offices are located on St. Croix and St. Tomas. It features the following units: Division of Occupational Safety, Division of Workers’ Compensation, Division of Labor Relations, Division of Job Service, Division of Training, Division of Administration, and Bureau of Statistics. The services provided by the Department include employment assistance, workers’ rights protection, training programs for unskilled and economically disadvantaged job seekers, a labor exchange system that connects job seekers with suitable employers. Therefore, the Virgin Islands Department of Labor provides services to both individuals and employers.
The pandemic-associated need to move to remote work has different implications for different types of organizations. Research shows that telework conditions have positive productivity effects on the companies that undertake some research and development activities and feature highly qualified employees (Monteiro, Straume, & Valente, 2019). The Virgin Islands Department of Labor is this type of company, and, therefore, the transition to remote work can have a positive effect on the productivity of its employees. However, they will need some hardware devices and software to fully carry out their functions outside the Department’s offices. The necessary hardware includes laptops and smartphones, while the software required may vary. The most popular programs for telework are video conferencing apps like Zoom, instant messengers like Slack and WhatsApp, and Google Drive cloud storage. However, mastering a number of technical devices and programs requires effort and may be challenging for the Department’s employees.
This essay aimed to analyze how technology resources promote remote work in the Virgin Islands Department of Labor. Despite some difficulties, the main of which is the need to master a lot of new software, a transition to remote work is not only probable but also beneficial.
Reference
Monteiro, N. P, Straume, O. R., & Valente, M. (2019). Does Remote Work Improve or Impair Firm Labour Productivity? Longitudinal Evidence from Portugal. Web.