The Covid-19 pandemic that sent entire workforces home to work practically overnight gave rise to the world of distributed work. And while most thought that the situation was temporary, the reality is that distributed – or at least hybrid – workforces are here to stay.

Although many entities were forced to adopt this model during that time, many of them operated under the assumption that remote working would be temporary, and that it would result in a loss of productivity. Neither turned out to be the case. In fact, quite the opposite! The majority reported an increase in productivity due to less disruption, no time stuck in traffic and the effectiveness of virtual meetings.

ASUS Business is giving away an ExpertBook B1500 – details here

For these reasons, many businesses opted to stick with a remote or hybrid model – it not only saved them money, it gave them the flexibility and agility that physical brick-and-mortar offices did not.

Unreliable power supply

However, for remote workers to be able to do their jobs effectively they need to have the right devices, good connectivity and a reliable power supply.

Unfortunately in South Africa, where load shedding has been a reality for 16 years and counting, this is easier said than done. Last year, South Africa ensured nearly 1 400 hours with no power, a staggering 200% more than any previous year, putting businesses of every size and type under tremendous pressure.

Between the loss of productivity, spoiled stock, machinery that was unable to operate, compromised security, and communication infrastructure such as Wi-Fi and cellphone towers going offline, load shedding has hit South Africa’s businesses, and hit them hard, with some estimates suggesting that rolling blackouts are costing the country R4-billion/day.

No end in sight

And there’s no sign of load shedding being over anytime soon. In fact, President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned that rolling blackouts will be with us for some time, despite “real progress” being made.

As to how long the problem will persist, or how severe it will be, this is anybody’s guess. During 2022, the country had to deal with stage-6 load shedding for a whopping 83 hours — the highest to date, and energy experts are speculating that by mid-July 2023, stage 7 could well be the new reality.

While this may seem like doom and gloom, increased strain on the grid, a higher number of breakdowns and former Eskom CEO André de Ruyter’s whistle-blowing on the rampant corruption in the utility paint a grim picture indeed.

Yesterday’s solutions can’t keep up

Over the past 16 years, large entities were able to manage the problem. They had solutions, such as generators, solar and inverter systems that were able to keep workforces powered up and connected during the ongoing power cuts.

However, distributed workforces presented another problem. Suddenly, employees were working from home, and while some employees had laptops and home Wi-Fi that could keep them operational for an hour or two, many did not, and almost no one had the kind of backup solution that could power their devices and connections for over four hours at a time.

Business as usual

For these reasons, forward-thinking businesses, from the smallest SME to their largest corporate counterparts, are putting continuity plans in place to ensure that their employees can remain productive and that any impacts of load shedding are minimised.

But while there is a range of solutions on the market that is able to keep users powered up for a short while – power banks, inverters, solar panels, generators and UPSes – none of these is practical in the long run, particularly for larger enterprises with thousands of staff members.

Overcoming load shedding challenges

Fortunately, leading hardware provider ASUS Business has invested in solving this challenge and has released solutions that were specifically designed to help clients remain productive during power cuts, and ultimately help them achieve their business goals.

The company has two solutions, one for desktops and one for laptops.

The first, ASUS ExpertCenter E1 AiO features a built-in UPS, which gives users enough time to save their work and files in the event of a power outage – a feature that is ideal for users in every industry, and is particular suitable for smaller businesses. Moreover, it comes with a unique integrated UPS design that protects data from unstable voltage and power surges which are a consequence of load shedding.

Next, the laptop solution, the ASUS ExpertBook B9 is the world’s lightest 14-inch business laptop, which is packed with features aimed at easing load shedding headaches.

Designed with unreliable power supply in mind, the device boasts an all-day battery that enables business users to carry on working at their normal pace, irrespective of the power situation. It also comes fitted with a spill-resistant keyboard, features enterprise-grade security and is made of premium magnesium alloy for durability.

ASUS Business is giving away an ExpertBook B1500 – simply head here and fill out the form.

About ASUS
Offering decades of innovation, ASUS Business does more than provide evolving IT solutions and proactive support that goes beyond devices – we do our absolute best to achieve excellence in everything we do, so our customers and partners can achieve everything they want to do. For more, visit ASUS Business South Africa or connect on LinkedIn.