For most people, 2020 has been an unforgettable year. Not only did a viral pandemic sweep the globe, bringing along financial hardship and social unrest in its wake, but people’s daily lives were transformed virtually overnight as businesses closed their doors and remote work became the default arrangement for hundreds of millions of employees.
Time Magazine described the coronavirus outbreak as “the world’s largest work-from-home experiment”. For the energy sector, this means we have entered a uniquely transformative moment. More specifically, it provides an operational imperative to play catchup on critical infrastructure that will empower long-term growth.
Power producers and energy companies can use this moment to springboard their technology into the future, making them more capable and competitive for years to come. A hybrid workforce comprised of on-site, remote, and distributed teams isn’t just the future of the power industry. It’s the present, and too many companies are falling behind.
Of course, this transition isn’t without its challenges. According to The Washington Post, as much as 90 percent of companies lacked adequate remote operations infrastructure to maintain continuity during this transition. The energy sector will have to navigate the pitfalls successfully without ignoring the operational necessity transformation.
The case for remote operations capacity
A potent collection of sociological trends and physical imperatives make remote operational capacity a critical component of any sustainable, continuity-oriented company.