Page 3 - 22 Cotton SA May 2020

/ COTTON MATTERS

Hennie Bruwer
HUB: Katoen SA
CEO: Cotton SA

ONSEKERHEID SKEP NUWE OPTREDE
Na ’n tyd van inperking by die huis wonder ’n mens of enigiets noemenswaardig in die werksomgewing
verander het. Gereelde vergaderings en afsprake vind steeds plaas, navorsing gaan voort en die
gradering van katoen duur voort. In isolasie vind die meeste kommunikasie oor die internet plaas.
Oornag het almal se lewens verander. Die vraag kan nou met reg gevra word: Gaan ons ooit terugkeer
na die lewe vóór die coronavirus? Is dit nie dalk hoe die moderne lewe alreeds daarbuite lyk nie?
Sommige mense is meer produktief wanneer hulle afstandswerk verrig. Daaglikse pendel tussen
woon- en werksplek dra ekstra stres by tot ’n persoon se werksdag. In die VSA werk meer as 5% van
die totale arbeidsmag van die huis af, terwyl byna tweederdes afstandswerk verrig. Afstandswerk kan
produktiwiteit verhoog en werknemersomset verlaag. Dit het egter ook sy nadele. Sommige mense hou
nie daarvan om op dieselfde plek te werk én te leef nie. Dit is ook moeilik om ’n maatskappykultuur te
vestig en onderhou wanneer mense nie in een vertrek bymekaar kan kom nie.
In hierdie era van onpersoonlike verbintenisse sal een-tot-een interaksie van nóg groter waarde
in die werksomgewing wees as vantevore. Gegewe die beskikbaarheid en betroubaarheid van
afstandstegnologie, sal die fisiese kantooromgewing dus steeds met ons bly in hierdie vinnig
veranderende wêreld.

UNCERTAINTY CREATES NEW FUNCTIONING
After a time of confinement at home one wonders whether anything significant has changed in the
working environment. Regular meetings and appointments continue, research and the grading of
cotton continue. In isolation people communicate mostly over the Internet. Everybody’s lives have
changed overnight. One can rightfully ask: Are we ever going to return to the lives we lived before the
coronavirus? Is it not already what modern life out there appears to be like?
Some people find working remotely more productive. Commuting adds extra stress to people’s
lives. In the USA more than 5% of its total workforce work from home, whereas nearly two-thirds work
remotely or outside of the traditional office environment. Working remotely can increase productivity
and lower employee turnover. It does, however, have its disadvantages. Firstly, some people dislike
working in the same place where they live and relax. Secondly, it can be difficult to create and
maintain a company culture when people cannot gather in the same room.
In this era of impersonal connections one-on-one interaction with people will now be of even
greater value in the work environment than ever before. Given the availability and reliability of remote
technology, the physical office environment will remain with us in this quickly evolving world.

Volume 22 No 2 May 2020 | 3