The global pandemic has caused a drastic change to the overall situation of the world and it has affected every aspect of our everyday lives. The biggest impact can be found in the world of business. Coronavirus outbreak has taken its toll on businesses. Several businesses could not survive the hit and went under as a result. They could not handle the major changes that were the inevitable consequences of the virus.
Luckily, there were also a number of businesses that could overcome these challenging times and stay firmly on their feet. The majority of those still standing are the businesses that can navigate through the pandemic and adapt to the current situation they found themselves. They found a number of ways that assisted them in avoiding almost certain failure.
Many lessons have been learned during the lockdown, and several businesses have drastically changed their mode of operation. The lockdown has been a great eye-opener on many habits’ companies indulge that could harm them significantly. They were forced into change however it was also beneficial as they took the time to reflect on how to operate differently.
We would like to discuss the business habits that you should not fall back into post-lockdown.
1.The marginalization of Workers Safety
Several businesses overlook safety protocols in their business policies. We have taken good health for granted for a long while, and we didn’t realize how much the health of employees means to the success of our businesses until the pandemic outbreak.
Another point to be taken into consideration is the mental health of employees. Going through a global pandemic drastically affects one’s mental state and it might cause trauma that will last for a long time in the future. Therefore business operators need to make sure that they meet the employees’ emotional, mental, and physical needs, a crucial element to performing well at work.
With the gradual easing of lockdown and business opening, we must not forget the great lesson learned on the need to prioritize safety. Businesses must outline safety measures and provide facilities to keep their workers and customers (if applicable) safe. The Covid-19 safety protocols should also be enforced to prevent another wave of the outbreak.
2.Resistance to Working Remotely
The lockdown had to force businesses into working remotely. Many companies could not cope with this because their structure does not support remote work. These businesses were resistant to working remotely for one or more of the following reasons:
Overdependence on physical attendance and supervision made the switch an impossible task for many businesses even when the situation called for it. It was difficult for them to change their usual way of working.
Lack of online presence: Some businesses were involved in direct sales of products and services and never had an online presence. It made it difficult for them to operate when people could not walk in to get their products and services.
Lack of systems: It is surprising that most businesses still lack standardized structures and processes for their operations. It means they run each day as it comes. It will be challenging to switch to a remote model where no central person can call the shots.
When systems are in place, people do not need to get direct instructions before doing their work for the day, and this is when the business can successfully run remotely.
3.Minimal Use of Technology
The main reason most businesses could not thrive during the lockdown was that they failed to embrace technology. The world is becoming digital, and even without the lockdown, some old habits will be abandoned with time. If you do not know how to position your business to grow with technological advancement, you may be at the risk of extinction post-lockdown.
You should embrace the use of digital tools that can help you grow your business. With a number of these tools, you can control your business even without being there physically. The digital world allows unrestricted access to customers all over the world, irrespective of your location.
The world has moved from the era of storing files on shelves and cabinets. You can make documentation faster and easier by using a word to pdf converter to organize document transfer and storage. This way, you can have full administrative control of your business and manage your files digitally.
There are numerous benefits in running a technologically advanced business, which you should take advantage of post-lockdown. You already got used to a number of them during the lockdown, thus it won’t be a problem to go on like that.
4.Being More Reactive Than Proactive
A lot of businesses were reactive rather than being proactive pre-lockdown. It means that the companies tried to respond to the challenge and solve the problem rather than be foresighted to implement procedures beforehand to prevent future challenges.
The danger of being reactive is that you may not always solve all problems, especially when you are not prepared for them. Some businesses fell victim to this during the lockdown and could not stay afloat in the end. Businesses must begin to be proactive rather than reactive even after the lockdown’s easing. Have insurance policies that can take care of diverse unforeseen circumstances.
Wimbledon showed clearly the advantage of being proactive when they earned about $141M in insurance during the pandemic outbreak. The payment was from a pandemic insurance package they have had on for almost 20 years.
A lot of lessons were learned during the pandemic outbreak and lockdown. Companies were exposed to a new world of working remotely, which at first was not fully embraced. However, workers quickly managed to find their way into remote-working and becoming successful in it. On the other hand, business owners realized the importance of both mental and physical health and their impact on working performance. In addition, technology played an essential role during this time and the value of being proactive was shown. We need to keep all these things in mind and not get too comfortable after the lockdown that we quickly return to our old ways and harmful business habits.
