The Digital Lab

- The pandemic as a driver of innovation?

It is autumn in Europe. And - it was unfortunately to be expected - Europe is once again in a lockdown. The corona virus not only affects all our social lives, but also the way we do our work. Entire professions are being sent to the home office - and despite all the concerns, especially of employers, working from home seems to work. At least if the appropriate digital infrastructure is available.

The fact is that in all probability we will have to learn how to deal with the virus. It is just as likely that conventional orms of work - compulsory presence in the company, open-plan offices or even on-site work in the laboratory - will in the not too distant future be location-independent and digitalized.

Traditional ways of working are still considered to be the non plus ultra. But why? What economic benefits can we expect if we continue to work today as we did 60 years ago? After all, productivity, agility, efficiency and thus competitiveness should be much more important than time clocks, rigid 8-hour shifts and compulsory attendance.

As absurd as it may sound: the corona virus requires a radical rethink. Also and especially with regard to our work. The compulsion to contain the spread of the pathogen through social distancing, even at the workplace, is currently a booster for the acceptance of home office, digital networking and new possibilities. A real driver of innovation.

How do you see this? Is your laboratory already a "smart lab" or is home office not yet an issue for you? Write to us - we are curious about your experiences and opinions!