A Tokyo employer is using the Rocky theme song to remind employees that their workday ends firmly at 6 pm. As the country struggles to disentangle itself from its deeply entrenched work ethic, companies are looking for innovative ways to care for their employees.

The majority of people in Japan want to continue telecommuting after the pandemic subsides. In a country with a history of long working hours and high stress, companies can improve worker satisfaction and well-being by giving them greater choice as to where and when they work.

As people across the globe abruptly adjust to remote working, many have faced challenges – from WiFi woes to toddler tantrums on Zoom. Canvas8 spoke to Dave Cook, an anthropologist at University College London, to better understand how people can perform their best when working remotely.

With people around the world being urged to socially distance themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic, remote working has fast become a new normal. How can employers bring their staff together (virtually) during this turbulent time, and what are the key challenges remote workers face?