In South East Asia, digital solutions will differentiate with key drivers

For employers and employees alike Its fair to say that we are not going back to the way things were prior to March of 2020. The physical office has gone from a core base in which to congregate to something of a satellite for many employees. Although this trend will reverse its not quite clear to what degree, and this will depend on the industry and worker. Whereas areas like finance and industrials will likely see a strong reverse back, other spaces like IT may see the trend strengthen as employers become more comfortable. However, on average we will probably see a compromise of the trends for all workers and that will most likely land us in the middle. Regardless of this new blended remote workstyle, one thing that is becoming clear is companies that embrace digital strategies around this change will be the winners of tomorrow. 

For companies with a presence in SEA, the digital and virtual race is on. Many workers have grown accustomed to their Zoom meetings, but the trends go much deeper than that. Anything digital is at the forefront.

Take the way that new employees are being trained for example. Not only can this be largely done remotely, but much in cost savings is driving the change. Some research has shown that $100s can be saved per hour by training remotely considering costs in travel and accommodation. Instructors can also be beamed in from the four corners of the globe. 

Big changes in client relationship management are also afoot. It's no surprise that client meetings cannot be currently held as they were before in most circumstances. Companies that are investing digitally to maintain and enhance that relationship are reaping the rewards. And companies that do not will be sure to see issues down the road maintaining those relationships in a competitive market. Materials, whiteboards, messaging, web-based audio systems, etc., are all seeing strong moves higher in demand. 

Communication inside and directed outside the company is also becoming a defining factor. To be fair, some companies are taking a lead here and others are falling behind. Singapore is a country where the company adoption rate of digital communications is among the highest in the world. This means having company leadership move away from what was comfortable to what is absolutely necessary when communicating with employees. Townhalls and employee briefings can be moved from a physical presence or e-mail, to real-time virtual with much more speed and impact. Companies that do this will create a culture that can win in today’s marketplace.