Morale
Business leaders have identified that managing the morale of employees has been the biggest challenge they faced during the pandemic. As the number of covid cases rose and fell throughout 2020 and 2021 so did uncertainty about job security, the timing of the recovery, business solvency, and the ongoing realities of operational shutdowns and reopenings. As the fourth wave is starting to hit different jurisdictions around North America business leaders and employees continue to face uncertainty which can make creating a positive workplace difficult to achieve.
Redefining the Workplace
Covid 19 redefined the workplace for many people. Those tasked with managing staff had to figure out how to become savvy at managing home-based workers and monitoring productivity in new ways. Workplace reallocation issues included some workers having to share workspaces with their children. Parents who had to supervise children and perform their normal work duties all from the same space reported it could be difficult to work in noisy and sometimes chaotic conditions.
Returning to Work Planning
In these early days of September 2021 business leaders are required to create safety plans for the safe return of their staff. While many employees identify wanting to feel safe in an onsite work environment, businesses risk losing valuable staff who want the ability to work from home. Finding the right combination of remote work and working onsite will continue to challenge business leaders as we head into 2022.
Uncertainty
Uncertainty about the ongoing duration of the pandemic, the strength of the economy, and the unknown impact Covid 19 will have on the markets continue to plague the business community. Normal forecasting tools have become less predictable and pre-pandemic strategic and business plans have all but lost their relevance.
Forecasting
Business leaders today must rely on the data and information they can gather to make informed decisions surrounding revenue and growth forecasts. Simultaneously, they must also look towards the future to see if there are any signs on the landscape to tell them that they are on the right path.
Elaine Allan, BA, MBA
Technology & Business Blogger
Vancouver, BC, Canada