In 2020, agility is making a comeback. After running its course as a business buzzword, it has become an operational necessity for companies in every sector due to the novel coronavirus pandemic’s repercussions. Most prominently, this reality manifests in our workplace arrangements, as companies grapple with the efficacy and necessity of returning to work during a pandemic.

Many companies are very skeptical about remote work – most do not understand how to control employees at a distance and at the same time maintain a productive working rhythm. In 2009, IBM devised a policy to allow 40 percent of its employees worldwide to work remotely. But in 2017, as the company’s revenue start slumping, the management pulled back its decades-old remote work policy. IBM said that the marginalized feel makes remote employees less loyal.

There was nothing in particular that should have drawn attention to the two individuals sitting for drinks at the bar in Reno. Just two old colleagues catching up over some drinks. But if someone had paid close enough attention (and perhaps spoke Russian), then they might have overheard that one of the pair was attempting to recruit the other into what was possibly one of the biggest ransomware operations to date.

2020 is a uniquely transformative year. Prompted by a global pandemic, we’ve been forced to change many things about how we live, work and relate. For most businesses, this means a rapid and comprehensive shift toward remote work. While more than half of all employees participated in a rapid transition to remote work, it’s clear that this is more than just a temporary change.

Many companies are very skeptical about remote work – most do not understand how to control employees at a distance and at the same time maintain a productive working rhythm. In 2009, IBM devised a policy to allow 40 percent of its employees worldwide to work remotely. But in 2017, as the company’s revenue start slumping, the management pulled back its decades-old remote work policy. IBM said that the marginalized feel makes remote employees less loyal.

Disagreement is one of the defining trends of 2020. However, I think most of us would agree that this year hasn’t turned out to be the kind of year that many of us anticipated when we celebrated on December 31st. Difficulty abounds on many fronts, reducing our ability to operate with precision and excellence. For companies balancing concerns about employee health, adjusting to a new hybrid workforce, and responding to shifting consumer demands, the challenges are many.