The COVID-19 outbreak took the world by storm. Never before has the modern world faced such a seemingly apocalyptic threat since the 1918 Spanish Flu.
Governments and various organizations around the globe are trying all in their power to slow down and hopefully completely halt COVID-19’s spread.
But then, life has to go on, and sooner or later, this plague will come to an end.
When that time comes, are we prepared to handle situations like these again in the future?
Here are some things that the recent outbreak has taught businesses so that if another similar catastrophe happens, we can be more prepared.
Be up-to-date with the latest technology.
If there’s one important lesson this pandemic has taught businesses, that would be to be updated with the latest technology. Most businesses are currently in lockdown to prevent the further spread of the virus.
Does that mean all business operations are suspended? Well, technically not, because most are still operational, at least, on a work-from-home basis.
This won’t be possible if companies aren’t using the latest technology, which in this case, is the internet and cloud computing. Entire reports, single touch payroll, system analyses, and inventories won’t be kept on track without the internet, especially that everything is now done online.
Promote online operations.
All, if not most businesses are now hardwired into the online world. However, they should promote it even further.
Promoting the use of online means such as Google Drive, Skype, Slack, Trello, and other online communication and productivity tools and apps would help a lot to simplify business processes such as meetings and task monitoring.
Expect the worse.
This might sound like a given. Well, it’s simple, but doing this and preparing for the worse has profound effects.
Pessimism might not be good, but it actually helps especially when worse comes to worst. Businesses that expect the worse can easily adapt to the challenges that might come their way, including a global pandemic.
Inventories will be modulated to prevent spoilage of goods, backup options are set in place in case systems fail, and optional sources of income can also be administered in case the main stream of cashflow collapses.
Practice macro-management to promote independence.
Macro management helps a lot in situations like these company supervisors cannot individually check on every employee knowing that they’re currently working from home and on lockdown.
Practicing macro-management helps promote independence so that employees don’t have to wait for specific instructions just for them to continue their job. Being proactive, creative, and self-sufficient helps a lot in ensuring the survival of a company.
Have regular training on adaptability.
Having regular seminars and training on various adaptability courses can help a lot in minimizing the disastrous financial effects of a pandemic just like what we’re currently experiencing.
Lockdowns are a good example of how important adapting to whatever crisis there might be is. Shifting from the office setting to the home might be daunting especially if employees don’t have any access to personal computers or laptops, or worse, the internet (which is very unlikely, though). Using various apps and tools if the current methods are inapplicable is also important.
Conclusion
Lockdown doesn’t have to be that bad after all, that’s if, we know how to make efficient use of our time and resources.
Businesses like yours can learn a lot from this pandemic in terms of adaptability.
This global health crisis will come to an end and we will be able to return to our daily routines and live life as we knew it.
But unless we learn our lessons from this experience, we’ll be doomed to repeat it. Learn from this, adapt, and be ready for the future.