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Many companies are sending employees home to work so they can keep social distance and help slow the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Working from home isn’t new, of course. Before the current health emergency, 4.7 million people worked remotely.
But this is different. Many companies have sent their employees home suddenly, without having a planned work-from-home policy. And even for those 4.7 million who have worked at home before, today’s situation isn’t WFH as usual. For one thing, some of those remote workers typically divided their time between home and the office. They may not have experienced a 100% remote scenario long-term, or had to restrict their after-work social activities.
Besides that, when employees worked from home in the past, they may not have also had to manage kids during the school day or share desk space during a conference call with a spouse who was also at home due to the pandemic. For some, WFH may be isolating. For others, it may be crowded or chaotic. And for all of us at this particular moment in history, it’s certainly stressful.
This is new territory we’ll be figuring out over the next several weeks or even months. But even as we cope with the many uncertainties in the news, it’s vital to set up a work-from-home policy that communicates expectations and provides guidance and structure for success.
1. Ensure employees have the right equipment at home
Make sure all employees have the basics: a laptop, WiFi, and a phone line or cell phone. They may need a printer or paper shredder. They should have their passwords so they can log into the company computer systems.
Encourage employees to create a comfortable work area for themselves. Ideally, it’s in a separate, quiet room, with an ergonomically appropriate desk and chair. This may not be possible initially, especially if the decision to work at home is sudden, however, for long-term physical health, this set up is essential.
Make sure employees going to work from home have IT backup and know how to reach out for support.
2. Make team communication easy
What communication channels should be used? Some people use Slack. Others use Skype. Some use internal chats. Having a common channel makes it simpler and helps ensure messages don’t get missed.
Make sure employees can communicate freely with each other. They probably have co-workers’ company email addresses, but if you haven’t already, set up additional channels of communication through systems like Slack. Keeping in touch is always important, but especially when employees are isolated from each other during this time of uncertainty and rapid change. And, if you haven’t already used video conferencing, now is the time. Agree if your team will use cameras or not—we encourage the use of cameras because it helps everyone feel connected.
As you find your way through these forms of communication, determine the expectation for timeliness of responses. Some companies expect text/chat responses right away, but email responses by end of the day or within 24 hours. Talk with your team to determine your new norm.
3. Keep the structure as similar as possible
Now that employees are home and prepared for work, how exactly does that work get done? Try to keep your regular business schedule, but, be ready to provide more flexibility, as needed.
If your company has a daily standup at 9 am – keep doing it, via Zoom, Skype or Hangouts. If you don’t have regular check-ins normally, add them to the calendar. They are more important than ever in times like these.
At the same time, establish expectations. Talk with each employee in those first days about making the transition to working from home. Here’s a quick reference checklist:
- Are there any tasks that need to be completed differently?
- Will employees need assistance to get work done—and how will they get that assistance?
- Are they juggling home responsibilities, such as childcare, that may require additional flexibility?
- Do any deadlines need to be adjusted?
- Maintain scheduled check ins. If you don’t usually check in with employees regularly, now is a good time to start. And if you do check in, keep that going. It’s easy to feel “out of sight, out of mind” when working remotely, so weekly check ins are critical.
- Define success and continue to manage performance. The main argument most employers have against remote work is that they worry an employee will slack off (although studies show the opposite occurs). Hold employees accountable for achieving goals, and provide feedback just as you would if they were working in the office.
Final Thoughts on WFH Plans:
As you navigate these challenging times, make sure your efforts positively reflect your organization and culture. During this emergency, as leaders, support and understand your team as everyone adjusts to the changes. Whether WFH is a temporary blip or becomes a standard option, thoughtful handling of this process can be a positive that comes out of a crisis.
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Over the last year, hiring teams have started seeing a wave of new job titles pop up across tech, sales, and operations.
Some are legitimate new roles.
Others are existing jobs with a slightly different name.
And many of them have one thing in common: AI is suddenly part of the job description.
From Go-to-Market Engineers to AI Specialists, companies are experimenting with new roles as they figure out how automation and AI fit into their teams.
But most of these positions aren’t entirely new. They’re evolutions of existing roles.
The Rise of Go-to-Market Engineers
One role that is gaining traction is the Go-to-Market Engineer.
Depending on who you ask, it is either:
- A new role focused on automation and AI-driven growth
- A modern version of Revenue Operations (RevOps)
In practice, it is a bit of both.
As Matt Tokarz recently pointed out after closing a search for an Outbound & Go-to-Market Specialist, the role looked very different from traditional RevOps. The focus was not reporting or CRM hygiene. It was building prompts, leveraging tools like Clay and Smartlead, and enabling SDRs and AEs with backend insights to accelerate pipeline growth.
Instead of traditional RevOps work like reporting and CRM management, the focus was on:
- Building AI prompts
- Creating campaign messaging
- Automating outreach workflows
- Using tools like Clay, Smartlead, and Trigify
The goal was not simply managing sales data. It was accelerating pipeline generation through automation.
AI Isn’t Creating New Functions. It’s Changing Existing Ones
One trend is becoming clear. Companies are not replacing entire departments with AI.
Instead, they are changing how existing roles operate.
Sales teams still need pipeline.
Marketing teams still need content.
Engineering teams still need to build software.
The difference is that employers now expect candidates to use AI tools as part of their workflow.
As Zac Colip noted during the discussion, we are currently in a transitional phase where companies are labeling roles with “AI” as they experiment with how the technology fits into teams.
But that may not last forever.
Why Many “AI Job Titles” May Disappear
Right now, AI still feels new enough that companies highlight it in job titles.
But eventually, AI will likely become a baseline expectation, not a specialty.
Think about it like cloud technology or data analytics.
At first, companies hired “cloud specialists.” Now most engineers are expected to understand cloud infrastructure.
The same shift will likely happen with AI.
Instead of hiring “AI-enabled marketers” or “AI engineers,” companies will simply expect employees to know how to work with AI tools.
The Talent Pool Is Still Small
One challenge with these emerging roles is simple: there aren’t many candidates with real experience yet.
Many of these positions didn’t exist two years ago.
In one recent search, we started looking for a candidate locally in Chicago. Eventually we expanded nationwide because the pool of people with relevant experience was extremely limited.
This is a common issue with emerging roles:
- Companies want experienced candidates
- But the roles themselves are still new
That gap will likely persist for the next few years.
Hybrid Roles Are Becoming More Common
Another noticeable shift is that roles are becoming more hybrid.
Instead of hiring for narrow responsibilities, companies are combining multiple functions into one position.
As Matt Mulcahy highlighted, one example is the rise of Forward Deployed Engineers, a model popularized by Palantir.
These engineers:
- Work directly with clients
- Gather product requirements
- Write user stories
- Build the software themselves
What used to involve several roles, including product managers, engineers, and solution architects, can now sometimes be handled by one person. AI development tools are part of what makes this possible.
AI Adoption Is Happening at Different Speeds
Not every industry is moving at the same pace.
As Ashley DuBois pointed out, some sectors, such as transportation, are applying AI to specific workflows like load booking and operational automation.
At the same time, some companies are adding “AI” to job titles even when the core responsibilities remain largely traditional.
In many cases, it is still essentially an IT manager role with AI familiarity layered in.
This reflects a broader transition period where companies want to signal modernization and candidates want to signal relevance.
Automation Is Changing Operations Roles
In logistics, AI is increasingly handling scheduling, tracking, and coordination tasks.
According to Brittany Lasky, operational roles such as logistics coordinators may experience the greatest impact from automation.
However, freight brokers who manage negotiation and strategic RFPs remain in demand.
AI can optimize processes. It does not replace relationship management or strategic negotiation.
Across industries, a pattern is emerging.
Execution becomes automated. Strategy becomes more valuable.
Finance Roles Are Becoming More Analytical
Automation is also reshaping finance and accounting roles.
As Adam Slater noted, accounts receivable jobs that once focused on high-volume manual processing are evolving into more analytical positions centered on reporting and insights.
The work is not disappearing. The expectations are increasing.
Organizations are now hiring for:
- stronger technical skills
- analytical thinking
- systems understanding
Even roles traditionally considered administrative now require deeper technical capability.
Analyst Roles Are Expanding
AI is not eliminating analyst roles. It is expanding them.
Financial analysts are also expected to understand tooling, sourcing, and data transformation.
In many cases, two or three roles are being combined into one.
This raises a long-term question.
If entry-level roles become more complex or disappear entirely, how will organizations develop senior talent in the future?
Sales Development Is Becoming More Human
The traditional model of high-volume cold calling is changing.
According to Jack Smith and Emily Canna, teams are shifting toward:
- personalized LinkedIn videos
- voice memos
- highly tailored messaging
At the same time, companies are moving away from activity-based KPIs and focusing more on outcomes such as demos set and SQLs generated.
In a market saturated with automated outreach, authentic communication has become a competitive advantage.
Several clients have said it directly. They want a human in the seat.
Go-to-Market Teams Are Rebuilding the Fundamentals
Every six to twelve months, hiring trends in go-to-market teams shift.
As Jennifer Salerno noted, companies move through cycles.
One quarter it is BDRs.
Then RevOps.
Now it is go-to-market engineers.
Many companies experimented heavily with AI to accelerate pipeline generation.
What those experiments exposed were structural gaps, particularly in outbound strategy.
AI can support execution. It does not replace a well-built top-of-funnel engine.
Inbound momentum can hide weaknesses. Outbound forces clarity.
The companies gaining traction right now are not chasing trends. They are rebuilding the fundamentals of their go-to-market strategy.
What This Means for Hiring
For employers, the takeaway is straightforward. Job descriptions and expectations need to evolve alongside technology.
Across functions, we are seeing the same shift play out. AI is not eliminating entire roles. It is changing how those roles operate and increasing the baseline skill set required to perform them well.
Hiring managers should start thinking less about traditional titles and more about capabilities. That often means prioritizing candidates who can:
- Learn and adapt to new tools quickly
- Think in terms of systems, automation, and workflows
- Combine technical and business skills within a single role
In many cases, the perfect candidate with the exact title simply does not exist yet. The strongest hires are often people who have developed adjacent skills and shown the ability to adapt as the tools evolve.
The Bigger Trend
The broader trend is that AI is accelerating a shift that was already underway.
Roles are becoming more hybrid. Expectations are increasing across nearly every function. And repetitive tasks are being automated, leaving more strategic work behind.
Sales teams still need pipeline.
Operations teams still need coordination.
Finance teams still need reporting and analysis.
Engineering teams still need to build software.
What is changing is how the work gets done and what skills are required to do it well.
Right now we are in a transitional phase where companies are still labeling roles with “AI” as they experiment with new workflows and technologies.
Over time, that label may disappear.
AI will simply become part of how work gets done.
And the roles themselves, while evolving, will look more familiar than the titles might suggest.
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