Council Post: How Business Leaders Can Help Solve The Connectivity Problem

Mark Roberts is CMO at TPx Communications, responsible for marketing worldwide, driving growth opportunities and building brand recognition.

Among the many lessons from the past year and a half for me has been the need for widespread and reliable broadband connectivity.

Every time I hear a story highlighting a survey of popular cities where remote workers are moving, I’m reminded that there are those who are less fortunate or those who are unable to relocate, and they may even be stuck in a community lacking a reliable internet connection. They are, in essence, left behind by the “digital divide.”

We cannot adequately discuss the topic of equity without talking about connectivity. But it’s not just about solving the connectivity issue for those already in the workforce. Those who grow up in households without a reliable connection may have struggled to complete school tasks. Just think of how many schools moved to virtual classroom settings during the pandemic.

How many people don’t have a reliable broadband connection?

In far too many communities, there is a lack of reliable internet. The recent infrastructure bill Congress passed included $65 billion to expand and improve broadband access, which could help to close the divide. It includes about $42 billion in subsidies for ISPs who build in underserved areas.

As the CMO of a company that offers connectivity solutions, I believe closing the digital divide will benefit future generations. Often long-term change starts with flexible and agile solutions, and increased connectivity is a prime example of a fix waiting to be deployed.

According to 2017 data from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), at least 21 million Americans do not have a “terrestrial fixed broadband connection” that meets the FCC’s benchmark. That number is too high.

It’s hard to believe that in 2021 there are communities that do not have a reliable broadband connection, but data like this shows that millions do not. If the internet was once a nice luxury for personal use, it is necessary for many to conduct business and receive an education today.

Connectivity powered success during the pandemic.

A Pew Research survey found that about seven in 10 workers were working from home at the end of 2020. Furthermore, the survey revealed more than half (54%) of workers wanted to continue working remotely after the pandemic.

But that’s not possible for those living in areas without a reliable connection.

At this point, we’ve heard enough about the pandemic and how it has changed our lives forever. We don’t need to rehash the workplace shift we’ve experienced over the past 18 months.

How do we solve the problem?

But it is worth noting that without connectivity, there would be no working from home for most, and many businesses would struggle to find success amid the altered landscape. As the world moves forward, it is clear to me that remote and virtual work will remain a part of the landscape.

Perhaps one silver lining of the pandemic is that it brought to light the need for change.

I think we have an incredible opportunity before us to bring a reliable broadband connection to everyone in the country. But it will require us to change our way of thinking.

It’s not just a matter of throwing money at the problem and hoping it will go away. It will likely require a longer-term strategy that brings various groups to the table, from governments to residents to companies that provide the services and infrastructure.

Over the past 12 to 18 months, communities have used federal money allocated during the pandemic to expand or improve much-needed internet access. While it is admirable to use available funding for this purpose, the problem is that the funds won’t last forever.

Private businesses also play an important role in closing the digital divide, and their communications teams are poised to advocate and lead organization-wide initiatives.

Before developing a companywide plan, leaders should understand their teams’ views toward technology and how they use it now. They need to know what their colleagues’ comfort levels with individual tools are and what technological gaps might exist.

From there, organizations can develop specific initiatives, whether it’s training team members who may be unfamiliar with solutions or who do not have experience using them. For colleagues who do not have broadband, there are several alternate mobile or public access solutions.

If the reason is tied to cost, companies might consider an additional stipend to offset the cost. For workers in communities without broadband available, companies should explore how they can partner with local governments and service providers to close the divide in a specific area.

Public-private partnerships can offer incredible upsides, but they will likely not happen unless the private side takes the lead in initiating the change they want to see.

While there isn’t necessarily a single approach we should follow to close the digital divide, I think we can all agree that in 2021 there is no reason for the divide to continue to exist. Once we do, we as communications professionals can start the serious work of closing the gap in earnest to ensure everyone benefits equitably from connectivity.

Forbes Communications Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com.