Productivity and Loadshedding

South Africans working from home say the load shedding forced many of them to return to the office, putting them at risk of contracting the coronavirus amid a third wave in the country.

Earlier this week, Eskom implemented phase 2 load shedding, following generator set failures at the Kriel, Arnot, Majuba and Tutuka power stations. Experts say the productivity levels of those who work from home are dropping due to disruptions in the power supply. Economic Costs of Eskom Phase 2 Phase 2 Outages: South Africans have been plagued with power cuts since 2007.

14 years later, the government has yet to resolve the country’s energy crisis and what is described as an obstacle to economic growth. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses have adopted the work-from-home model. However, the recent episode of load shedding has made it impossible for many to continue to be productive. While some have tried to bypass the load shedding schedules, others say they have to go back to the office.

“Even though we had the UPS, I couldn’t work because the whole area was down, which meant even the Wi-Fi providers were down. I had no way to work, so I had to go to the office. This is a huge problem. The effort of getting ready to go to work is a mission, go to the office, come home and I’m exhausted, ”says one employee. “We check the schedule to make sure our laptop is charged, the phones are charged.

We have this huge power bank that we connect the power banks to, so we still have an internet connection. It’s a big inconvenience, but it has to work, ”said another employee. Team working According to Albert Brink, an executive at Productivity South Africa, the load shedding has certainly affected the productivity levels of many companies, especially those that work in teams.

“It’s a concern in many of my clients’ premises. The disruption is noticeable when people depend on other people, when you work in a larger team; load shedding affects this significantly. Regardless of the angle, load shedding affects productivity. I have no doubts in my mind about this. Brink says there are ways to lessen the impact of load shedding on productivity. He says this period can be used to catch up with planning and for work that requires time for reflection.

It explains how employers and employees can maintain their level of efficiency during outages. “The important thing is to plan the work, especially the work where interaction is required. Staff members working together should communicate with each other regarding load shedding schedules.

There are a number of cheap gadgets available that you can use to keep the Wi-Fi running. A good old pen and paper can actually come in very handy, especially when you have extended outages. Very often we have a job that requires time for quiet concentration. Sometimes a load shedding event is a blessing in disguise because you can catch up on activities that require time to think.

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