The COVID-19 curve is beginning to flatten, infection rates are dropping, and countries are beginning to emerge from a full lockdown – albeit at varying stages.
So what can businesses do now – to ensure that they’re on the front foot once the COVID-19 pandemic is over?
Here’s a round-up of what Members have told us. And what they’re considering in their recovery plans.
1. Create recovery plans in phases
Each country will be at a different stage in their recovery. Infection rates and lockdown restrictions will vary widely from country to country. So timing for global businesses is key in any recovery plan.
One approach is to construct recovery in phases and trigger them based on each national government.
- Phase one: deliver critical services from the office. All non-essential services are delivered from the home. Enact guidance to manage access to the office.
- Phase two: move teams back into the office who would benefit from proximity to one another. This phase will only kick in when governments allow larger groups to congregate.
- Phase three: phase in occupancy rates on each office floor, working towards 30% in the first instance.
- Phase four: draw up and implement plans for a ‘new normal’. For many risk managers across the world, plans for a new normal are ‘work-in-progress’. See step 2 for how one risk manager is approaching this.
2. Launch an internal think tank
Risk managers are having active discussions to inform plans for a full recovery and ‘new normal’ through an internal think tank.
One risk manager and their company have split their think tank into four temporary teams:
- Team one: works through ideas for a global workplace strategy review
- Team two: reviews and assess the commercial outlook
- Team three explores options for what a post-COVID offices could look like
- Team four: researches ideas for a ‘digital workplace’.
3. Re-think crisis management and focus on long-term resilience
COVID-19 has shown us that crisis management needs to be transformed.
Crisis plans are traditionally tactical: This has happened. This is our response. And here’s how we will enact our plan.
But plans need to be more strategic, long-term and focus on resilience:
- How do you protect the business in the long-term?
- How do we become more agile as a workforce?
- How can we better guide strategic thinking and horizon scanning?
All good questions.
Each one will be explored further in upcoming virtual meetings and Intelligence content.
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