One thing that many of us have realised due to Covid-19 is that times of crisis can lead to unexpected changes for the better.
While the effects of the pandemic are yet to be fully realised, many businesses have taken this opportunity to press reset, and to find new ways of working together in our ‘new normal‘ world.
Covid-19 has created an environment where everyone is focusing more on what‘s important and less on what isn’t.
For example, this means, spending more time with our friends and families, streamlining business processes and of course, it has brought people together in a way that has never been witnessed before.
The recent crisis has caused barriers that were previously in place to be broken down. Today, we look at how and why this is a positive outcome for your organisation.
Bringing People Together
It can‘t be overstated just how much everyone across the UK pulled together during the pandemic. Never before, and hopefully never again, will such a threat to our health be a widespread and persistent part of our lives.
We have already seen significant changes in the way we live our daily lives, with a focus on protecting those around us and stopping the spread of the virus too.
For instance, the recent change to the wearing of face masks in shops has been accepted as a way to help others, even if some people consider it a slight convenience.
Social distancing and wearing a face mask helps protect people you don‘t know from coronavirus you might be carrying. These acts are representative of the breaking down of social barriers we once adhered to; looking after each other has brought us closer.
Annemarie Plas, who was the organiser of the weekly clap for the NHS, speaks to Anushka Asthana in this Guardian podcast about how she was shocked at the outpouring of solidarity for the event, and how Covid-19 seems to have brought Britain back together.
So we can see how the re-writing of our social rules has contributed to a positive change in society, but how has this impacted businesses?
Accelerating Change (for the Better)
The way that Covid-19 has helped businesses make changes for the better can be attributed to two things –
- It has made business owners realise the strength and flexibility of their teams.
- The knowledge of how fast positive changes can be implemented and then followed through.
Even the most dynamic of companies can take their time when making changes in the business – it can take months or even years to implement new systems, hire more impactful employees or take a leap of faith into a completely new area.
The pandemic accelerated the rate at which organisations made changes they had been considering for some time, as well as some surprising, but necessary, changes.
Some companies have decided to permanently keep in place changes that they made at first out of necessity, such as a move to remote working or streamlining their teams. Covid has consequently forced business leaders to reconsider the very nature of their business.
So where have the main changes occurred, and what impact has this had on different companies?
Let‘s take a closer look.
Going Digital
It will not have escaped your attention that 2020 has been the year of digital communication.
Access to digital capability has benefitted teams who were working from home for the first time and for customers and clients trying to get in touch with your business in our new socially-distanced world.
Before the pandemic, many organisations will have ‘believed‘ that they had every digital avenue covered, and the lockdown has demonstrated how well prepared most companies were.
A recent post on The HRDirector shared that remote working has now moved from the Millennial fantasy to a logical business option.
A survey they conducted revealed 83 per cent of remote employees have enjoyed working from home during the lockdown. The demand is so strong for increased flexibility that 86 per cent of survey respondents also said that they would be willing to forgo certain benefits in exchange for improved flexibility.
Leading on from this, some organisations have reported such progress with their remote working that they will be going fully digital for the foreseeable future. Therefore, breaking down the whole definition of the workplace and our place within it.
Several high–profile companies, including Twitter, Google and Facebook have announced that employees now have the option to work remotely – if they so choose.
As this Forbes article highlights, while remote working has some of its own problems that will need to be worked out, in general, the world is moving to a digitally focused landscape, and that’s where employers must focus their efforts as we move forward.
Final Thoughts
The changes that have happened to the way we live and work have been significant.
Before the lockdown – how many times can you say you had seen inside the homes of your colleagues? My guess is not that many.
Teams who have returned to the office after experiencing what ‘business‘ can look like when we break down the barriers are all the stronger for it.
If you are interested in taking your team to the next level in our new digital world, we offer leadership training programmes, with a focus on the virtual. These programmes have been invaluable to leaders over the previous months, as many leaders realise that to succeed in our ‘new normal‘ world, virtual leadership is going to be an essential skill.
Click here to find out more about our training and coaching programmes.
Until next time,
Julia
About Zestfor
Zestfor specialises in developing Training programmes and resources scientifically tailored for technical markets – including Pharmaceutical, IT, and Life Sciences.
Our blend of in-classroom, online, and virtual live-stream delivery methods will engage and assure even the most introverted team members from the first meeting – whether face-to-face or virtually. To have a brief chat, call us on 0845 548 0833. Alternatively, please email our team here.
