We are the Outsiders…

With a Fresh Perspective

As Canada heads towards a recession following the devastation of the pandemic, I have been thinking about what has happened and what has to change. We know that after two recent recessions (2008 and now), being open to diversifying and disrupting traditional industries and ways of working is crucial. In this unprecedented time, the status quo is not enough.

In this issue’s story “Disrupting Mediocrity,” the Director of Human Capital for Deloitte says that “we have an incredible opportunity to turn these events into something positive. My concern is that countries will reopen and people will schedule their business trips and get into their cars for their 7:30 am commute. All of those things will return to normal and we will have missed the opportunity.”

This is an opportunity for industries across the country, including levels of government, to do things differently. We should be investing in new technologies, new industries, new people, and new ways of doing things. At CompuVision we have long been champions of remote work—something that has become the new normal for everyone else. But this doesn’t have to be a temporary change for other businesses. In “Avoiding a Hybrid Remote Work Innovation Problem,” Avery Francis and Stefan Palios outline how to best make a long-term transition to incorporating remote work into your business.

While we still have awhile to go before understanding the new normal and all of the effects of the pandemic, I think the past few months have shown us that this is not the time to turn a blind eye to the change that is unfolding in front of us. Businesses and business leaders need to be vulnerable and voice their problems so we can solve them. People don’t want to fail, but now more than ever we need to try new things and be open to change and new ideas. This is no time for business as usual. 

In addition to needing to diversify the types of industries that receive support, we need to diversify the people making decisions about and within these industries. In previous issues we have written about how, within the tech industry, there is an opportunity to effectively use AI to make more data-driven decisions. However, AI is still prone to bias. Machines are not neutral. AI needs to be trained, and AI is trained by people with biases. There is work to do in every industry to increase equity, diversity, and inclusivity. Several stories this month outline just how far we still have to go to increase diversity in the tech industry, and ways we all can begin to do so effectively and responsibly. 

Take care of yourselves.

Ryan Vestby, CEO, CompuVision

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