The Directors and Managers of GT Reilly & Company
As businesses and public spaces reopen amid hopes that the Covid-19 pandemic is under control, a phrase has entered our everyday language that probably means different things to everyone who hears it. The “new normal.”
It is a phrase that anticipates that things will be permanently different, and given the extreme measures that Americans have endured in order to stem the Covid-19 spread, it is almost certain that many of us will be changed when we come out on the other side. Our ways of doing things like our jobs and our interpersonal relationships will be changed, and our expectations of the workplace will be changed.
For business owners and nonprofit leaders who have experienced a remote workforce for the first time, or who have had to operate virtually for several months with a dramatically reduced workforce, the Covid-19 experience has forced an embrace of technologies such as videoconferencing and cloud-based financial management.
Nothing stimulates change and innovation quite like a crisis, and this one is no different. So, as we look to the future, it seems like a good time to consider some of the broad changes that may take hold in the American business environment and what business owners and nonprofit leaders should be thinking of today in order to get ready — or take part.
Remote work and communication
Remote work has redefined what it means to work for many employers and employees alike. As workers have set up makeshift home offices and stayed on the clock throughout the COVID-19 crisis, business owners who resisted flexible work arrangements in the past have become converts. The willingness and ability — driven by technology — for employees to keep companies operating through the pandemic has enabled many companies to stay afloat.
What does that mean for the future? Look for service-oriented businesses to re-evaluate the idea of the 40-hour work week in an office. Some employees may want that while others may want a three-day/two-day arrangement. Business owners who are flexible enough to accommodate increased demand for virtual work should consider:
Communication. By its nature, remote work changes the way we communicate. The worst-case scenario is that it diminishes communication and hurts an otherwise healthy, collaborative workplace culture. To make remote work arrangements work, regularly scheduled phone, email and videoconference check-ins are essential.
Human resources issues. Does your employee handbook cover the unique issues that can arise with work-from-home arrangements, such as overtime and use of technology? When it comes to recruiting, remote work arrangements broaden your field of candidates. If a job is 100% virtual, why does the candidate have to live in your company’s ZIP code? Remote work capabilities could be a strategic advantage when hiring critical positions.
IT issues. If employees working from home use their own devices to interface with the company computers, are they connecting through a VPN? Are they exchanging files securely? You have a lot of hardware, software and data to protect. Make sure it’s protected.
Workflow issues. Employees who work collaboratively may not be able to sync schedules if they are in the office on different days. Videoconferencing and cloud-based file-sharing applications should help. You will need to anticipate these issues and negotiate them with employee input.
Face time. There may be good reason to bring your team together physically once a month, once a quarter or a couple times per year for training, company updates, breakout sessions for each department and team building. Work this into the equation when making your plans to transition to a partial or full remote work environment. Work it into the budget, too. If you downsize your office space, you will need to rent space for full company meetings.
Fun. Let’s face it – work isn’t just about work. In a healthy workplace, employees like each other and go out to lunch together. Put together a monthly “Zoom Lunch” for your team, where everyone gets on a videoconference together over lunch. If you want to be Boss of the Year, have lunch delivered to each team member’s home.
Technology
The experience of working remotely has revealed technology weaknesses in many companies. Functions such as videoconferencing, file sharing, cloud-based applications, interface of company-owned and personal devices, insufficient server capacity and outdated software are issues that impact businesses every day, and not just those that allow remote work arrangements.
Consider the technology roadblocks you may have hit during the COVID-19 crisis and create a plan and budget to address them. This may be a short-term plan that involves moving certain functions to the cloud, or a longer-term solution that requires new operational systems. Get the ball rolling now and talk to your tax advisor about advantages such as 100% bonus depreciation that can help ease the financial commitment.
Changes around technology may not be solely internal at your company. Customers and clients have become accustomed to a “hands-free” environment, where services and products are delivered with no physical contact. Documents are sent as PDFs rather than handed over during a meeting. Products are being delivered to front porches. Medical care is being delivered by videoconferencing.
Think about how your company interacts physically with customers and clients and try to envision how that may change in the post-COVID world. Customers may prefer a remote relationship with you now that they have gotten used to it.
Automation
As a company leader, you want to look out for the people who have helped build your business’ success. But you also need to plan strategically to secure your company’s viability and success in the future. That may require automation. Some economists estimate that more than 40% of COVID-19-related layoffs may become permanent, in part because some employers have used the COVID-19 shutdown as an opportunity to accelerate plans to automate. Jobs in the manufacturing, IT and finance sectors are particularly vulnerable to automation.
If automation is an option for your business, consider how it could protect you during the next economic crisis.
Even if automation doesn’t replace your workers, it can help keep your operations going and help your people function remotely if another crisis kept your workforce from coming to your workplace every day.
As with technology, automation requires long-term planning and budgeting. There’s no better time to start than now.
The post-COVID-19 world will bring many changes in our expectations of the workplace and our personal interactions. If you would like help envisioning the changes you can make in your company, and putting in place a plan to achieve them, please contact us.
