On the 19th of March, 2020 the president of Argentina — not unlike the leaders of other nations around the world — announced in a press conference a mandatory lockdown for the entire nation due to COVID-19.
This quarantine has in its core a primary principle: social isolation. Based on these circumstances affecting us all globally, I wanted to share my thoughts regarding the relationship between the psychological and the technological, based mainly on the constitutive and social meaning both of these concepts share.
While the need for social isolation is understood, it does come with the consequence of the craving for social interactions to grow and grow, at a time when social needs are stronger than ever. Isolation is physical, but socializing doesn’t have to be. This is where technology comes in: by allowing us to socialize without the need for any physical interaction.
This is proven with the protagonistic role that social media is having, with virtual conferencing and new apps that are showing up on the market. WhatsApp, Facetime, video calls, video conferencing, online games: these have all become vital tools to maintain the closeness that human beings need on a cultural and psychological level to survive. The public is even finding new ways and places to share and put into words what they’re going through.
On this same note, the amount of usage and posts on social media has significantly increased, which serves as an example of the characteristic need society has for interacting with others. Social media is being used to its maximum potential, and exceeding its original role as a means towards occasional interaction and entertainment.
Technology has also brought us other advantages to our daily work routine. It’s reinforced our individual characteristics such as responsibility, commitment and discipline. It’s even found a way to reinforce teamwork and communication, by adding a personal touch to how we express ourselves to our coworkers, virtually opening up the doors of our homes.
Video calls and virtual offices have given us the opportunity to maintain that proximity to our colleagues, peers and superiors, allowing us to progress with our entrusted responsibilities without slowing down, and keeping us entwined as a team, both professionally and personally.
The Devlane team is currently working 100% from home, maintaining a close relationship between coworkers with weekly calls where we simply keep in touch and talk.
What is your organization doing to keep the spirit & motivation up?
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