How Live Streaming is Saving Businesses, Events, and Sanity During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The scale of the coronavirus crisis is impacting nearly every facet of daily life across the globe. As COVID-19 continues its global spread, authorities are restricting large gatherings of people and pushing businesses to enact work-from-home protocols. Because the crisis is forcing us to adapt to a “new normal,” technology is taking center stage to help us through the transition. Live Streaming is among these technologies.

In fact, as the popularity and usefulness of Video delivery over the internet grows exponentially, reports reveal that live streaming has attracted 47% more users than this time last year. With the influx of telehealth, remote learning, remote Video conferencing, and canceled events, this versatile tool is changing the way we stay in contact with others — particularly in the age of social distancing. 

Live Streaming and Business

Businesses have perhaps received the most benefit from utilizing live streaming. Even before the outbreak, nearly 85% of Senior Tech Executives said at least half of their workforce worked from home (WFH), and a quarter of all organizations are now entirely remote — with more companies nearing that goal everyday. With COVID-19 forcing us to maintain a safe social distance from each other, that percentage of the WFH workforce has only grown in recent weeks. 

Live streaming has helped keep teams connected internally and with clients. An unprecedented number of companies have turned to utilize services like Zoom to keep business as close to “usual” as possible. In fact, some experts believe that WFH can even increase productivity. Over the course of the past decade or so, high-speed internet and other innovations have made it possible for us to work from anywhere, but only about 29% of American employees actually did their jobs remotely as of 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Additionally, live streaming can build employee engagement through department- or team-wide meetings and one-on-one discussions with higher-ups. In fact, a Gallup study revealed employees who have regular engagements with their supervisors are three times more involved at work than those who don’t. Plus, the live video provides the opportunity for everyone to see, speak, and hear so teams can work as efficiently as they would with everybody in the same room.

With live streaming technologies, many events that risked cancellation in light of the pandemic are now going virtual. Virtual events are quick and easy to coordinate and still provide a sense of community. A better option than canceling, virtual events also help expand a company’s reach, extend the shelf life of content, and allow for more creativity. From massive conferences like Google Cloud Next, Adobe Summit and Facebook F8 to smaller, local events, organizations across industries of all sizes are turning to live streaming to host gatherings online.

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Live Streaming and Education

Today, internet access and live streaming technologies ensure learning is not restricted by physical limitations. Schools and universities are streaming classes, and teachers are connecting with students virtually by utilizing live streaming technology. 

With the implementation of this technology, instructors can host and deploy a live, virtual classroom to hundreds or thousands of viewers in just a few minutes, making students feel like they’re attending a live lecture. Similarly, live streaming apps enhance homeschooling by encouraging connections and enabling the ability to learn from students who live in different regions of the world. 

Live Streaming and Healthcare

One of the more intriguing uses of live streaming during the outbreak is coming from the medical field. Companies like AngelEye Health are seeing massive growth as their live streaming capabilities help families stay in touch with hospital caregivers and even virtually visit their newborns and/or ICU-based relatives. With hospitals overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the ability to virtually connect with loved ones who are in the hospital gives peace of mind a new meaning.

What has once been considered the future of Healthcare, is already here! Telehealth, also known as telemedicine or e-health, refers to the application of digital communication in healthcare. A game-changer for patients and doctors alike, telehealth allows medical professionals to provide healthcare services in a cost-effective manner and empowers patients to seek treatment quickly and from wherever they are. 

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Live Streaming and Human Connectivity

Even though the virus is forcing us to remain apart, technological advances ensure connecting with friends and loved ones is as easy as the click of a few buttons. 

To that end, Facebook has recently seen a 70% increase in Messenger group Video calls in the wake of the pandemic. Additionally, as more Americans stay home, we’re witnessing significant shifts in the consumption of TV/Video and Digital content across platforms. Streaming boxes and sticks make up 56% of to-date over-the-top (OTT) streaming hours in March and Connected TVs account for 32%. When comparing the four most recent days of available data, this growth is even more pronounced vs. the same days in 2019.

In an attempt to keep constituents in the loop in the face of constantly changing information and ever-evolving regulations, local, state, and federal government organizations are turning to live streams. From President Trump and New York Governor Cuomo to local officials at the city- and county-level departments, live streaming has become a valuable tool for government officials to effectively communicate their message and any updates to their community. 

Conclusion

By using the right Video streaming tools for team building and company engagement, any organization can harness the power of live streaming to keep everyone productive — and healthy. Whether providing an interactive digital experience in place of an in-person event, making the transition to a completely remote workforce, seeking medical advice, or chatting with friends and colleagues, live streaming can be implemented to help companies on the front lines.

From Business to Education to Healthcare and beyond, the novel virus is challenging us to utilize live streaming technologies in unique new applications that help us stay healthy, smart, and safe.

Even though the worldwide spread of COVID-19 is changing the way we interact and work, there’s a growing opportunity for the implementation of live streaming technologies to help us overcome challenges posed by the crisis. While the business impact will become more clear as we learn more, the impact live streaming can have on improving our daily lives is undeniable. 

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