What will happen next for businesses as we enter phase 2 and beyond in Ireland?

By Chas Moloney

What comes next? This is the question on everyone’s lips and one that businesses need to address in terms of how people will work as we move forward.

Having the ability to work together from anywhere is crucial, not only during the pandemic but also in the future. This means implementing technologies that enable remote working and effective communication across locations, and helping to create an adequate workspace that supports people and encourages productivity. It also means maintaining a culture that embraces flexibility and acknowledges the new challenges and increased pressures people are facing, both professionally and personally.

It is certainly a difficult task, with many organisations having to utilise technologies new to them, facilitate a work environment which is distinct for every single employee, and maintain a positive and proactive company culture during a time of great change and uncertainty, where people may feel more isolated than ever before.

However, it also provides a unique opportunity for companies to consider how they can transform how they work to better support people, maintain business operations and help drive company growth in the most unusual circumstances.

How can organisations do this? A people-first mindset is crucial. By focusing on employees and their needs as the first step, business leaders will be better placed to identify and implement the right technologies and strategies which can support the now-widespread digital workstyles that allow colleagues to remain productive, effective and innovative from wherever they are.

As well as considering the technologies people need, from laptops with internet connectivity to unified communications systems, business leaders need to digitise information, streamline processes and secure access to work files and systems for staff. It is also important to maintain that sense of company culture and transparency by enabling and encouraging collaboration across various locations and regular communication among the team.

Furthermore, it is vital for organisations to ensure that people are not only provided with the necessary equipment and an adequate environment to work effectively, but also have the flexibility to balance other commitments and manage their new routines without the usual supports. Work/life balance needs to remain a core priority from a motivational and wellbeing perspective.

While progress is being made in terms of restrictions being eased gradually, this journey will take time and companies need to remain adaptable and agile as the situation continues to evolve. It is highly likely that even when people are allowed to return to work in its traditional form, it will not be the same as it was before and large-scale change may be required.

There is every possibility that less people will physically return to the office, that office workspaces will have to be reimagined, that technologies will need to be updated again, and that the culture of the workplace as we know it will be permanently altered.

Giving people options will have to be a priority. That could mean offering staff the choice to work from home permanently, as Twitter has already done, or it could involve adopting a hybrid approach that allows people to smartly work together from home or the office – depending on their preference. Perhaps some companies will have to split shifts so that only half of the workforce is in the office on any given day or they may need to provide additional supports to those who are vulnerable themselves or have at-risk family members in their household.

Satellite offices located in different regions could become the norm to prevent the same numbers of people travelling the same routes to work every day and sitting in the same buildings. Infection control will of course be a key focus within the office space which may rule out trends such as hotdesking and could lead to booking systems being rolled out for desk allocation, alongside strict deep cleaning protocols.

Video communications will remain central to operations by enabling virtual meetings among colleagues and with customers, until it is once again possible to hold in-person meetings. Staying connected will be imperative, as will staying secure.

But by keeping people at the heart of the strategy and enabling them to work together from wherever they are, today and moving forward, organisations are placing themselves in a position whereby they can maintain business continuity, support their employees and future-proof how they operate. In fact, this people-first, flexible-working approach has been found to boost employee productivity, enhance customer service levels and help drive company growth.

You never know, together we could end up creating a new way of working that both overcomes the obstacles we are currently facing and benefits the workforce – as well as society as a whole.

Chas Moloney is the Marketing Director of Ricoh Ireland & UK, and is passionate about igniting change. As a modern marketer, he is focused, driven and inspired by international marketing innovations, and as a leader he believes in building a culture of trust. He is invested in, and has leveraged, agile marketing to improve employee, client and stakeholder engagement.

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