Comcast Business has partnered with several local chambers of commerce — including Washington D.C., Gaithersburg-Germantown, Howard County and Richmond — to help navigate and address challenges faced by their members in the current business environment, including adjusting to remote work.
Most recently, these valuable takeaways were discussed during The Technology Pivot: The Future of Work Is Here Today, a webinar focused on what business owners have done — and can continue to do — to ensure productivity, while providing employees with flexibility and support.
Tracy Pitcher, Senior Vice President of Comcast Business for Comcast’s Northeast Division, was joined by four Chamber of Commerce CEOs to discuss how they and their member organizations have pivoted throughout the pandemic and how Comcast Business has supported their communities. Panelists included:
- Brian Anderson, President and CEO of ChamberRVA (Richmond)
- Marilyn Balcombe, President and CEO of Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce
- Angela Franco, President and CEO of DC Chamber of Commerce
- Leonardo McClarty, President and CEO of Howard County Chamber of Commerce
Key discussion points of the conversation included suggested services for promoting efficient remote work, ensuring technology remains reliable and secure while making the transition, and digital tools that are here to stay as businesses consider hybrid work models moving forward.
What will go away is ‘going through the motions.’ The pandemic opened our eyes to how dynamic the world is and if we’re not rethinking almost quarter to quarter, we’re going to be left behind. The old days of phoning it in are gone.” – Brian Anderson
“What has changed for good? Trust – we need to look at what value our employees bring and it’s not how many hours they sit in front of a computer.” – Marilyn Balcombe
“Virtual work and meetings are here to stay and is just as effective. What won’t come back again is full-time in the office.” – Angela Franco
“One thing that’s here to stay is how we assess our operational needs – particularly equipment such as desktops versus laptops based on position. With Covid, we had to reassess and everybody needs a laptop now.” – Leonardo McClarty
Additionally, Christian Nascimento, Vice President of Product Management for Comcast Business, discussed what the future of business will look like for CIOs. He highlighted the increasing demand for telework, along with the importance of resiliency against cybersecurity threats and connectivity to support the new normal. Jessica Shelly and Brian Hayes, both Senior Directors of Product Management for Comcast Business, also joined the webinar to discuss solutions and secured connectivity.
As the forum confirmed, remote work — at least in some form — is here to stay. Having reliable and secure technology will allow for a better and more productive experience for both business owners and their employees.
To learn more and watch the webinar, follow the link here.