Working from Home (WFH), the New Reality: A Human Science Perspective during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Given the global pandemic of COVID-19, the invisible Corona virus, which has brought the entire world into lockdown, and academic institutions into virtual closure and uncertainty, the integrity of the University of KwaZuluNatal (UKZN), has to be maintained within the scenario that is playing out. In the wake of the emergence of new modes of digital communication, higher education has entered a time to undertake robust transformation that has to create new possibilities for collaborative, engaging scholarship and teaching with a goal to advance the vision of the academic institution as an excellent institution in the 21st century. This would entail combining traditional teaching and research with new forms of digital scholarship intended to involve a wider audience. In this research, online emails were sent to colleagues within the discipline of Criminology and Forensic Studies, School of Applied Human Sciences. This was intended to ascertain staff experiences in trying to disseminate the modules they taught via the online systems available at UKZN during the shutdown period. The study reveals that in leading colleagues towards an achievable goal requires not only orientation and motivation but it is equally imperative to empower people to effectively implement strategies to achieve the shared goals. This requires operative management practices to create an enabling environment to take the disciplines to the next level in shaping the future and changing needs of higher education. Working from Home (WFH), the New Reality 73