Global crises are not new to humanity. However, never before has the world been equipped with the modern technologies we are armed with today to fight a global pandemic. At a time when many of us are able to work from home, seamlessly communicate with others around the world, and access information on a constant basis, arguably now is the time when we can realize the true potential that technology and innovation offer in combatting global disruptors such as COVID-19.
Many businesses and inventors have realized this. According to Market Intelligence Data, the COVID-19 safety and prevention market is expected to grow by 7.2 per cent in the next five years, especially as case numbers rise and fluctuate, and the demand for safety products and related technology increases. But what does this technology look like? The technology used to fight COVID-19 ranges from support services, such as IT, to transitional tech that serves in lieu of face-to-face contact, such as e-learning, to COVID-19 prevention, such as enhanced PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), to temperature screening devices. In the fight against COVID-19, all types of technology are at the fore and crucial to making sure everyone stays safe.
However, COVID-19 technology alone is not enough to curb the spread of the virus. To truly keep the threat under control demands major collaboration between technology providers, businesses and industries, and government. Technology companies have to pivot and introduce new advancements to help with the new normal. Businesses and industries need to implement the right processes and strategies to create safe environments for employees. Governments must be relied upon to implement the right health guidelines for all of us to follow to ensure lives are saved while we navigate this pandemic.
Tech innovation
Workplaces are being forced to reconfigure physical spaces and find ways to optimize virtual work. According to JLL’s “(re)entry - A guide for working in the next normal,” leveraging technology to find safety gaps in workplace layouts is crucial in re-opening. Of course, that must be done while balancing financial, health, and safety implications. New tech that can provide space utilization and space optimization data can be useful for social distancing and physical workplace optimization, while remote monitoring features and sensors can be useful for crowd traffic control.
Beyond optimization and base-line technology, finding long-lasting and efficient tech is important in creating financially viable solutions moving forward. Technology that is quickly becoming outdated such as handheld temperature guns, while useful as a short-term strategy for workplace re-opening, will soon be outpaced by remote and non-invasive temperature screening monitors. Expensive solutions, such as social-distancing bracelets or on-site nurses, can be prohibitively costly in the long run. Tech innovation is needed to keep the risk of COVID-19 transmission low and employee comfort and trust high. Investment by businesses is not optional as we transition to a post-pandemic world.
Safe and smart re-opening
It’s up to businesses and industries to use the technology available, in conjunction with government mandates and regulations, to provide a safe return to work. But what is expected of the new workplace?
Strategies encompass one half of the safe re-opening. From staggered schedules and work-from-home arrangements to employee self-reports and prepared re-closing protocols, planning starts at the management level as a foundational basis for safety. Beyond that, however, technology is needed to fully elevate the safety of employees and ensure their comfort and trust.
Non-invasive, automated and unmanned technology all have their place in a post-pandemic workplace, to help mitigate the spread of COVID 19. These include such things as temperature screening, crowd monitoring, mask detection, and social distancing measurements. EAIGLE’s powerful AI solution encompasses all of those features and has been proven to drastically reduce the costs of maintaining a safe and healthy workplace.
EAIGLE pivoted from cleantech and proptech solutions to COVID-19 operational solutions at the beginning of the pandemic, to help society and businesses return to normal. EAIGLE has been a crucial part of the successful re-opening plan that many organizations have adopted in sectors ranging from real estate and government to manufacturing and healthcare.
Government mandates and support
Government support and regulation is the backbone of all safe re-entry and re-integration plans. Without insightful, science-based government messaging and laws, cases rise, with businesses, institutions and the general population as the victims. Governments are relied upon to not only pass and enforce proper preventative health laws, but to invest in working solutions that will enhance state-of-the-art COVID-19 tech and make it accessible in all public settings.
Moving forward
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the world we once knew and is forcing all of us to prepare for a new normal. Although the future is uncertain, what we can rely on is innovative tech to help foster long-term prevention strategies and keep workplaces running as safely and smoothly as possible. It’s up to us to fully utilize this tech, keep innovating as we move forward, and push for governments and businesses to promote and implement COVID tech to the best of their abilities. Soon, these unprecedented times will translate into workplace precedents, and we will all be on the lookout for those who have properly prepared for the new normal.