“If you get the culture right, most of the other stuff will just take care of itself.” – Tony Hsieh
At some point, we will get past this COVID-19 pandemic. It may not happen tomorrow, or next week, or maybe even next month. But data suggests it will happen as reports of places like China and South Korea are slowly starting to return to their normal lives.
But the question is what exactly will ‘normal’ look like post-COVID-19? Will there be a “new normal” when the UK finally defeats this virus? Specifically, apart from essential employees, the British workforce has been forced to work from home. Recent research has detailed a report that 67% of employers took steps to allow employees to work from home who do not normally do so. Will that percentage change once this is over? There are reasons to believe it might not.
Until a vaccine or a drug is developed, it seems that life will have to go on along with coronavirus. In short, COVID-19 not only turned our daily routines upside down but also changed the world permanently. The comfort of being in the presence of others might be replaced by a greater comfort with absence, especially with those we do not know intimately. Post COVID-19, instead of asking, ‘Is there a reason to do this online?’ we will probably be asking, ‘Is there any good reason to do this in person?’.
These mindsets will undoubtedly enter the workplace as well. It will change how companies meet with clients and prospects, along with their overall daily operations. A more virtual workplace means IT departments will need to be at the top of their game, as well. This can create challenges, but also advantages to the business. It may take time to get used to these new practices, but it is going to be vital for the individual’s safety without compromising the employees’ health.
Managing employees through this period of change takes art, intuition, skill, strong listening, and effective communication. When done correctly, managing such change can help a leader gain respect and loyalty which will be beneficial for the organisation in the long run. Done poorly, it can have adverse effects on the business and its people. Change management requires deft leadership, both, of the transition and the people affected directly or indirectly by it. We’ve listed a few ways on how to manage conversion in the workplace effectively in the post-COVID-19 challenging times.
1. Defining the Change
Change is often not fully articulated at the beginning of a transformation in its management process. Due to the reiterative nature of reform, it may be necessary to not just define the change at the outset but redefine it at various steps along the way. Updates should be provided frequently to mitigate rumours, answer questions, and provide reassurance. The faster the reorganisation is happening, the more frequent updates should be. It is important, to be honest, and transparent for the organization to provide the assurance to the employees that the change is for the better and is probably going to stay.
2. Have a plan
Change is essential for businesses to grow, expand, and thrive. However, change for change’s sake is foolhardy, disruptive, and likely inefficient. Planning for improvements is the key step here. A business plan needs to spell out objectives, markets, mission, and how these things are about to transform. A change management plan needs to clearly articulate the areas of the business that are to be affected and the impact on customers, suppliers, stakeholders, employees, and the community in the whole.
3. Adjust or Set new performance objectives
Organizations need to translate changes into performance appraisal, assessment, compensation, and promotion cycles quickly. Employees, in this time of uncertainty, will want to know how the new arrangements will affect the way they are evaluated. These need to be articulated well before the performance period begins whenever possible. Employees will work better with concrete goals that are achievable. Your staff need to be able to see the roles they play in achieving the new aims and understand what it will mean for them and the organization once the targets are achieved.
Thus, these changes might have cons in the initial phase, it is very important to be successful in the long run post
COVID-19.
ABL Recruitment team
