Dive Brief:

• Four in 10 employees say their companies aren't equipped with the technology needed to let them work from home, according to a survey of 1,000 full-time workers from organizations with more than 200 employees commissioned by project management software company Wrike.
• A similar proportion of workers, 43%, don't believe they're able to perform as effectively from home when compared to the physical office. More than half say a work-from-home policy would "seriously harm their organization's productivity," according to the study.
• When asked which virtual collaboration tools they had access to, employees say email, voice conferencing, digital messaging platforms and cloud-based office suites are the most popular offerings.

Dive Insight:

Amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, the need to stay apart from each other isn't just about crowded buses or shops: it impacts the workplace too. 

Companies are flipping strategies to protect employees while getting work done ahead of a looming recession.

Remote work is enabled by tech tools, which means companies without a strong arsenal of technologies and processes in place will struggle to adapt. Conversely, those who invested early might be reaping benefits.

Ahead of 2020, companies cited software and cloud infrastructure as top spending priorities, two key areas of investment that can pay off as a company moves to remote work. Moving processes to the digital realm can help make a workforce more mobile, though an excess of digital platforms can overwhelm staffers.  

Key tools enabling decentralized work amid the pandemic include collaboration software, teleconferencing platforms, security tools and virtual workplaces.

Leaders who have successfully transitioned to a remote work strategy recommend setting clear goals, creating opportunities for videoconferencing and using digital tools to overcome the impact of the pandemic.

As Morgan Stanley warns of a global recession, efficiency will be paramount for companies looking to stay afloat, possibly using this time to edge out the competition.