Advertisement

Role of a Workplace in the Recovery Post COVID-19

With the expansion of remote work, when employees do eventually start re-entering their workspaces, their communication with each other, with their superiors becomes key as both parties work towards enhancing trust and communicating that which was difficult to do so remotely.

?

According to Deloitte, a typical crisis plays out over three stages which are ‘respond, recover and ultimately thrive in a new normal.’ While a plethora of responses have been witnessed by employers across India as well as globally in reaction to the pandemic and the well-being of one another and society as a whole, recovery has been a daunting feature with all of us perched at different stages on the climb up to the hill.

Workplace Trends India has been in discussion with industry leaders of various Indian and global organizations as well as professionals hailing from a wide spectrum to discern the best strategies and examples of recovery in shaping a better and altered reality. While all the answers are not in front of us yet, post three months of struggling in the quest for understanding through multiple discussion and insights, certain aspects have now gained much more clarity.

For instance, it has now been understood that recovery is not a uniform formula that can be applied across all paradigms. It will occur at different stages for various people and organizations. With uncertainty still very much leading the charge, the question that arises is that of planning for multiple scenarios and plans of actions for known as well as unforeseen obstacles. Recovery for organizations therefore also means realigning their employees with their vision and purpose, assessing core needs and moving forward with resilience whilst keeping in mind the health and well-being of their ecosystems, primarily their own people.

The recovery process of each organization will have them poised for success or failure in an altered normal with efforts being overlooked by competitors, clients, their own employees and even future prospective talent which will deem which organizations have their well-being at the heart of their functioning or as opposed to the ones that do not. It will establish the branding and reputation of a firm for years to come in a digital era where news travels instantly and influences opinions and perceptions.

As we rethink the future of work and workspaces, it gives businesses impetus to revise their business continuity plans in terms of emergencies and reshape themselves to deal and adapt better to such episodes in future, should they occur. With the expansion of remote work, when employees do eventually start re-entering their workspaces, their communication with each other, with their superiors becomes key as both parties work towards enhancing trust and communicating that which was difficult to do so remotely.

Moreover, extended periods of remote working could lead to a loss of productivity and a sense of alienation. To rejuvenate the employee and keep them aligned with company vision and goals, it is important for the office to be a safe destination replete with all necessary tools in order for them to strike a reasonable balance between both modes of working.

To adjust to a new normal, the workspaces of right now will become the bridge to altered ways of working in future. While we all need to learn new technologies for remote functioning, offices become the environment to do so and transition to flexible work arrangements in future in helping us determine which functions are better tackled from within an office and which ones can be performed remotely. Moreover, the upskilling of the workforce that is required can also be performed in the same environment. Thus, the office must emerge as a safe and sanitized environment for people to perform or learn what they cannot individually from their homes. Offices will become a center for collaboration, teamwork and building trust by checking in with your team from time to time.

With increased responsibility resting upon the shoulders of governments and corporations or industry leaders to help our nations, people and economies recover at this time, firms have to work towards establishing themselves as a social enterprise that is setting safety standards for its people. Each company, especially MNCs and other behemoths must set the bench for the well-being of their people, risk mitigation, high levels of sanitation and rapid and efficient responses to emergencies by having contingencies in place. This will have a trickle down effect on other organizations and give firms a competitive edge in the war for attracting and retaining talent in future.

Thus, in orchestrating a successful recovery, businesses must assess short-term as well as long-term scenarios and plan accordingly. While some may have had a swift and coordinated response while others took time finding their bearings, the approach to recovery will determine the future of many organizations as we step into and embrace a new normal.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article above are those of the authors' and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of this publishing house



Advertisement

Around The World