The Dilemma of Going Back to the Office Too Soon

As COVID-19 began to spread in Mexico, companies began to send their employees to work remotely, even before the government ordered it. Now, nearly two months into this routine, many workers are beginning to wonder if it is time to go back to their offices or if it is too risky to even do it again this year.

In some companies, the clear benefits of working from home are starting to show but not without consequences: a rather convincing majority of CFOs in Mexico are now planning to make this a stalwart of company strategy. Up to 64 percent of CFOs are planning to make remote work a key component for certain positions within their company, reported El Economista, based on a survey organized by PwC. What is more, PwC said that automation within companies would be accelerated because of this as well.

Compared to the US, CFOs in Mexico are less inclined to take steeper measures regarding worker safety once offices open again. Fifty-eight percent say they will implement a supply of facemasks and COVID-19 tests. This is 19 percent less than CFOs in the US.

Founder of TalentHow Gustavo Linares wrote this week for Mexico Business News that once the quarantine starts to be lifted, HR directors, heads of departments and CEOs must be fully ready to safely welcome back their staff who had to work from home and any newcomer who will be incorporated to their team. “This is the time to focus on a strategic plan to take care of our employees. As employees and employers, we must take a step back and think strategically about the current situation in order to succeed in the future,” he pointed out.

More news below:

• Sixty-four percent of Mexican CFO’s plan to make home office a staple of a new office policy. What will this mean for individual productivity? Some might enjoy higher productivity due to fewer distractions but those with families and pets or people who benefit from a bit of social pressure might disagree.

• The economic havoc caused by COVID-19 could very well push another 10.7 million under the poverty line said CONEVAL on Monday. The percentage of workers facing precarious conditions could increase up to 45.8 percent. This would represent an 8.5 percent increase against the current number.