More and more companies have decided to move employees online for safety reasons but are finding it just as manageable to keep them there. I talked to Antonio Gonzales-Bravo about starting his internship remotely.
(Gonzales-Bravo) “I work at Northwestern Mutual Financial, it’s like a financial advising place offers insurance and other things and I’m an intern financial advisor. I like finances I like looking at it from all angles and I’m able to help people get their money right and make more.”
Although Antonio was working from home, he went through multiple rounds of interviews all online. This brought up some issues students and remote employees have dealt with throughout this transition.
(Gonzales-Bravo) “It was long, so it was like three original sit down or zoom meetings and then after that they decided they wanted to move forward then I had to get my state license to sell insurance and then they contracted me after a couple other steps so it was like a month and a half long process. “The most challenging I would say is getting yourself to get work done because you know there’s no boss or supervisor telling you, you must do anything so it’s all, you have to be accountable for what you do.”
Although switching to having more freedom while working from home comes with its challenging adjustments, Antonio explained some benefits of being able to work remotely.
(Gonzales-Bravo) “I’m an introvert and I like to do things my own speed and it was nice to not have to leave my room to get work done. You’re kind of your own boss, you get a lot of, you’re in your environment so you get to work at your own pace, get food, get lunch whenever you want and the most.”
Essential workers have also had to go through challenging adjustments during this past year. No one knows better than hospital employees. I talked to food service worker, Loosha Quick about his experience.
(Quick) “I work at Olathe Medical Center and am a food service worker I bring food up to people and make trays.We have to wear face masks, glasses or goggles, sanitize all the time, every time I come back down to the kitchen. It’s actually kind of gotten stricter now you are required to wear goggles, when I started, we didn’t have to now you can’t wear cloth masks we wear disposable ones.”
Almost every job in our country has been affected during this pandemic but both Loosha and Antonio can agree they’re just happy to continue helping those in need at their jobs during this time.
(Quick) “I talk to them and ask how’s their day and how they’re feeling I ask them when whenever they get to leave, things like that. I feel like when patients usually talk to the doctors or nurses, they get the bad news I’m the only person that doesn’t do anything but bring them food which is a good thing, so yeah, I think people need that.”
(Gonzales-Bravo) “best part about working from the job is, I get to help people, make sure their money’s right and you know be more successful later on down the road.”
Reporting from The Campus Ledger this has been Paige Winters.