How Remote Work Is Changing Tech Salaries In the Era of Coronavirus
Remote works will be one of the biggest shifts in workplace culture in recent decades. Known for their high salaries, tech companies are one of the leading adopters of remote work. This capability isn't new; people have been working at home for a while, but the experiment forced by coronavirus has shown it can be a feasible model.
Tech Jobs Are Threatening Non-Tech Work
Automation is threatening many different non-tech careers. AI chatbots appear on many websites, encouraging you to start a conversation if you have a question. This role, previously done by a human, reduces the number of customer service representatives needed. Automation isn't limited to low-skill work—there are AI therapy services.
Data scientists are part of the team responsible for creating these AI services. Even though an AI program may remove hundreds of jobs, it still takes a team to create the application. Data scientists analyze all of the data of their program to improve its functionality. You can become a data scientist with no degree. Even though data scientists are well paid, a small team can create a program capable of reducing thousands of hours of employee salaries.
Tech Jobs Are Growing
The tech industry has been growing rapidly over the past several years. It has been growing at such a pace colleges have not been able to graduate students fast enough. This shortage has prompted crash courses in coding called boot camps. In 2019, over 30,000 people graduated from these fast-paced courses.
These boot camps are so confident you will get a job with your new skills they offer job guarantees and even deferred tuition. The job market for computer science careers has been steady during the recent downturn caused by Covid-19.
Remote Work Isn't What You Think
Remote work sounds like a pretty good deal, but it will be put to the test as we slowly return to pre-pandemic norms. There are a few easy wins for remote work—no need to dress up, no commute, and you can stay in the comfort of your home. Even with these perks, there are challenges Zoom can't resolve.
Communication is one of the struggles of remote work. Even with video and instant messaging, the lack of human connection can impact results. Miscommunication between product managers and software engineers can cause delays and frustrate involved parties.
The amount of data regarding remote work has increased as a significant portion of the world works from home. A consistent finding is the workday has increased by an average of 45 minutes. This workday extension might seem detrimental, but you probably spend more time commuting than 45 minutes. Even with the increased workday, the lack of commute is beneficial to our health.
One of the real downsides of remote work is the lack of separation from work and home life. Without an office, you can physically let work seep into your personal life. There is a temptation for work to be the first thing we do each day, which can be why the workday is longer. If you are working from home, or plan to in the future, make sure to find ways to practice self-care.
Coronavirus Is a Blip in Time
It seems like coronavirus is not going to go away. We will feel the effects of Covid-19 for many years, but what seems like an eternity now will be a short memory in five years. Remote work will be one of the ever-present reminders of this epidemic. While vacations are on pause, and we stay confined to our homes longer than preferred, we can take this disaster and put our time to good use.
If you choose to attend a boot camp, you can have a higher salary by the beginning of next year. Take the negative impact of Covid-19 and turn it into a lasting positive change by attending a top coding bootcamp. By choosing to react opportunistically, you can create a positive outcome from this epidemic. If you capitalize on the extra time available, you will remember 2020 as the year you elevated your career, not the year stuck at home.
Salaries will be dependent on the market and the demands of any job. Tech jobs will continue to be available as companies implement new technologies to save on employment costs. While the coronavirus has negatively impacted our world, remote work, and the opportunity to learn new skills can be a beacon of light in these dark times.
Artur Meyster is the CTO of Career Karma (YC W19), an online marketplace that matches career switchers with coding bootcamps. He is also the host of the Breaking Into Startups podcast, which features people with non-traditional backgrounds who broke into tech.