The COVID-19 pandemic has incalculably impacted the globe and has changed how individuals interact. People are more cautious and carefully weigh many factors before making decisions.
The global pandemic has altered living, studying, traveling, eating, purchasing, and even working. Most individuals across the globe have to work to earn a living, and many employees cannot survive without working for a month or two. Similarly, workplaces themselves also require a workforce and fail to bear employees’ expenses if associates cannot work and produce.
Fortunately, many employees can follow basic Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and continue to work without increasing the virus’s spread. If your team can adjust accordingly, you will be ready to face similar situations in the future without disrupting production.
Below are some factors to consider that can help you manage your workforce during a pandemic:
Health is Priority
Remember that your company or business is nothing alone; it is a combination of your employees, clients, and multiple other stakeholders. Therefore, you must consider things selflessly. Your stakeholders’ health should be the highest priority, and it is only possible to maintain the highest levels of health by compromising slightly on productivity. Most employees should be sent to work in their personal spaces to keep others and themselves safe from spreading the virus. It is the most helpful pattern followed globally.
An organization must think multidimensionally and must develop a strategy for employees who cannot work remotely or must be in the field at any cost. It can be difficult for a company to decide on a strategy in these circumstances. While it is expensive and challenging to quarantine the entire workspace, but it is helpful to maintain business continuity. Companies should be serious about SOPs, and employees should strictly follow production protocols without compromising health.
Virtual Workplace Infrastructure
The virtual workplace is usually considered a comfort zone, and it is an effective option if it is not negatively affecting progress. Implementing a virtual workplace requires a proper strategy that is applicable and beneficial for all. This often requires high-tech support like high-quality workstations supporting associate needs, a standard VPN, a good server, high-speed internet at the virtual workplace, and a smartphone with the latest features.
Once the virtual workplace is set, the second most important thing you need to establish is a user-friendly and effective communication tool. The most disruptive factor when working in a virtual environment is a lack of communication and collaboration, and ineffective communication tools can cause problems. Teamwork and morale can suffer when working online because people are not accustomed to communicating work virtually. To overcome this impediment, invest and use reliable video conferencing software that meets your work requirements or has all the essential features that fulfill your needs. Another critical responsibility of an organization is to train its people to overcome the difficulties in using this new software.
Make things better by developing or utilizing a team dedicated to addressing virtual matters. Mismanagement of resources is the primary cause of failed virtual workspaces. Once a particular team handles and supports the virtual workstations and tools, the results are tremendous and satisfying.
Overcome Isolation by Innovative Culture
Mental health plays a vital role in an employee’s overall performance, and a pandemic incites mental stress in almost all individuals. National lockdowns and working in a virtual environment increase the feeling of isolation. The fear and panic of health and safety also contribute to increasing anxiety. In these circumstances, it is the responsibility of an organization to develop a culture that supports employees in coping with anxious thoughts and stresses.
Some practical ways of interacting virtually have shown positive results like healthy virtual debates, virtual discussions over coffee, gaming, and other virtual meetings. While these virtual spaces cannot exactly replicate the real world, they are reminiscent of a reality we hope to return to soon.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
