Before now, corporate firms were unwilling to entertain the idea of employees working remotely. Employers did not want to hear of it and you could even get a query for suggesting it, or looking like you were going to suggest it.

 

They reasoned working remotely would mean employees would go unchecked and could while away billable hours. To corporates, it just didn’t seem right; working from home.

 

Whatever the reasons, the traditional way of working remained firmly in place and employees had to show up every day for their 9 – 5 or in other cases, 8 – 5.

 

If you live in densely populated cities like Lagos, as I do, then your trouble is double.

Lagos, Nigeria’s economic capital, home to 22million people suffers a riotous public transport system and heavy traffic.

 

On a good day, a journey of 30 mins could take you at least 2hrs. This, I repeat, is on a good day. If there’s a situation like a truck falling across the road ( something that seems to happen every other day) or an accident, a few hours is sprinkled on your journey.

 

All of this the average 9 – 5ers has to go through to get to work every morning. And on time too or he/she will be getting a stiff email from HR.

 

Some Lagosians wake up by as early as 4 or 5 am to drive or join the public transport system popularly known as “Danfo” squeezing alongside other early risers on their quest for daily bread.

Waking up early doesn’t even guarantee you’d get to work on time because anything could keep you. From fighting bus drivers to someone ramming your car in tight traffic to the aforementioned notorious falling tankers, the list of happenstances is endless.

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I’ll share a few personal experiences of mine.

 

One morning, I headed out to work before the sun had woken up dressed in my jacket and smart pants, ready to take on the Monday.

 

Then, everything began to go sideways. The first bus I boarded kicked, puffed, and died before we were halfway through the journey.

 

All passengers alighted. A few seconds after, it began to rain. Heavily. Before I could catch another bus, I was drenched to the tiniest scrap of fabric I had on. My weave, my bag, everything was sogging wet. On a Monday morning. I arrived work late and shivering and I still got a stern look from my boss that said ” rain fell, and so?”

 

I can tell you I’d no idea what did for the rest of the day. Believe me, it wasn’t even serious. Write some emails, post a few things online, speak to some vendors; things I could have done from just anywhere else than the office.

 

Another time, I fell into a gutter covered with water while trying to navigate my flooded street inside the rains to get to work. I ended up with a bruised, swollen ankle, and had to stay put for a few days.

 

These experiences are not unique as plenty of Lagosians and other 9 – 5ers have similar or even worse stories.

 

By the time you report to your office, you’re drained, disoriented, and need a few hours to get your creative juices flowing again. Remote work was still something employers were unwilling to consider.

Enter Covid-19.

The novel Coronavirus had been imported into Nigeria and The Government was scrambling to nip it in the bud before it implodes.

 

Just a month after the first, cases in Lagos began to soar. The city soon became the epicenter of the outbreak in Nigeria.

 

With an imposed lockdown on cities like Ogun, Abuja, and Lagos, companies had to revert to remote work. The path not taken became the only way or no way.

 

It’s been a few weeks since the imposed lockdown was eased but several workers continue carrying out their tasks from the comfort of their homes.

 

Many teams have found ways to collaborate and carry out their work seamlessly without having to change into a fresh pair of pants.

 

I recently spoke with a friend who works for one of the largest digital marketing firms in Nigeria ( name redacted). According to him, his company recorded its highest revenue in April. In April, everyone was working from home.

 

While this may not be the story for other firms as COVID-19 did cripple many business functionings, the take away is, some roles can actually function superbly while remote.

Nigerian employees actually prefer working from home

I spoke to several employees working remotely now and the reaction is the same; all of the hassles that involved going to work and returning were needless.

 

They’ve found ways to navigate Nigeria’s power and internet problems, collaborate with available online tools, and are functioning in their roles with little or no supervision.

Also, many have recorded improved productivity as they now have more time to actually do their jobs. The struggles of waking up, driving, or finding a bus and other activities that take time and effort have been expunged.

 

They now have ample hours to rest and do their best work. Many do not look forward to resuming 9 to 5 and quite frankly, yours truly can say the same.

 

Also, remote work opens new opportunities for physically challenged people. They previously found it difficult to get regular hours job due to their physical disabilities. Now, they can function in equal capacity from their homes.

 

Companies can also take advantage of the now free spaces in their offices and rent to businesses who actually need them. It’s another revenue-generating option managements can explore.

 

Covid-19 may have brought sickness and death in its wake but it also brought about a long due change; causing the world to accept the future sooner than later.

 

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