Digital mastery for professionals

"WHAT are the business and professional challenges you experienced during this pandemic?" I asked this question during a talk at the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants' annual convention. Most answers centered on slow internet connections, attending or running virtual meetings, mental health issues, working remotely, digitization challenges, and technological stress.

The answers were not surprising. Two years into the pandemic, it is still tough to adapt and adjust to new ways of working. The environmental pressures to adapt, however, are too huge to ignore. For one, total internet users in the Philippines have grown to 82.41 million this year, 8 percent up from pre-pandemic levels according to Statista. Active social media users, meanwhile, jumped to 82 million this year, a 9-percent increase. Filipinos also spend the longest times on the internet and social media.