Has Your Opinion of Telecommuting Changed?

Much of the workforce telecommuted from home following Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” executive order to try to curb the spread of COVID-19. Many have found it to be a surprisingly successful experience for themselves and their teams. We asked area business leaders: Has your opinion of remote working changed?

Ryan Tarant

President and CEO of the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce

Last year, we provided our team with the tools to work remotely. Although many of the responsibilities of the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce team continue to rely on face-to-face meetings and in-office work, limited remote work has added flexibility and efficiency for our team.

I think what we have seen over the past several months is an embracing of remote working as a viable option. This has been the trend for a number of years, but the steep incline in remote work with the onset of the COVID-19 crisis has provided more employees the tools to be successful working from home and opened some eyes to the benefits from an employer perspective. The train has been coming down the tracks for some time, it just arrived at the station a little earlier than expected.

Tara Frank

CPA and Principal at Rehmann CPA

It’s been gratifying to see our associates embrace remote work so successfully. Working remotely truly has empowered our teams to focus on their work and exceed client expectations while caring for their families. Rehmann experienced a seamless transition to remote work, and we’re proud of that. We realize the workplace is changing. We’re having candid conversations with our associates about what works best for them, so they can continue empowering clients during the pandemic and well into the future.

Alan Watson

President and CEP at Jolt Credit Union

Jolt took aggressive action to shift our service model to one that focused on remote services and drive-thru accessibility. There have been positive trends with members accepting these changes. In-person interactions can never be fully replaced, but what we’ve been through may lead to efficiencies that benefit Jolt for years to come. Telecommuting was part of this service model shift, and I expect we will expand use of it in the future.