Business uncertainty created by the Covid-19 pandemic is on the scale of the two world wars. Well over two years from the discovery of the virus, it still has a profound impact on companies. The ways in which businesses have managed their workforces have changed due to the pandemic-led uncertainty and it may permanently change how they will be managed in future. Although many things will return to how they were before the pandemic, some things will have changed forever, once it is over. This post-pandemic business environment can be described as the “next normal”.
A survey conducted by the British Chambers of Commerce has led to several conclusions on the new working situation.
The Challenges created by the pandemic
In the new working environment customer relationships had become harder to manage. Also managing employees remotely has been more demanding. Employees tended to work long hours, which raised a concern about employee fatigue. However, new processes had been introduced, such as task-based working practices.
The wellbeing of employees and their mental health has become a bigger concern. Employees working from home became isolated and lonely. Body language and signals that something is wrong can be difficult to pick up via video call. Managers have reported that it is emotionally draining to deal with such a high volume of employee wellbeing and mental health concerns. Mental health awareness trainings can be provided for stuff in such cases.
The communication to staff about job security has become a lot more difficult. Also, employees had to find new ways to communicate with each other. Queries that are easily resolved in an office environment are not as easily solved when working remotely. Social networking and messaging platforms to support communications had become more popular.
New ways of managing workforces
The benefit of having employees in one place became more evident. Training young people and new employees is much easier that way. The creation of new ideas and the cultivation of a positive workplace atmosphere is much easier. However, the opportunities to recruit employees from further away and the offer for more flexible working were widely acknowledged.
Training priorities have shifted to the development of digital capabilities. These were seen as increasingly important to the business competitiveness. Future training plans may also include employee wellbeing and mental health, as it became more evident that they were not well understood. The pandemic has demonstrated that lots of training can be provided on a virtual platform, which may shift more learning content online in future.
It became more evident that earl engagement with young people is crucial to the development of employability skills. Many businesses did not have the resource to engage with work experience programs. The generalizing about the role of young people in the workforce can be problematic. They may be adept at using digital technology, but not necessarily specialized digital software. Acquiring talent in a company requires a deep understanding of what potential employees want from their employer.
