Employers: Don't Build Jurassic Park!

Hands down, Jurassic Park is one my all-time favourite movies. It's got everything: some great visual effects (even by today's standards), a sense of wonder, and just enough suspense to make it feel like anything could happen.

But there's one quote that I think is probably more prescient today than any other, and it's a good sanity check when looking at how companies move forward into the world after coronavirus:

Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.

Coronavirus has forced us all to change the way we work, but as we approach 2021 it's time to step back and ask whether we're doing things now just because we can.

Can you hold a meeting on Zoom?

Probably. But should you? Sometimes a simple message or a phone call can suffice, and keeping meetings to a minimum is a great way to avoid the dreaded glazed eyed colleagues who are only paying attention to every third word you say. As the trend towards remote working accelerates, it's going to become more common for teams to work hours that work for them, rather than sticking to the traditional 9 to 5. Becoming overly-reliant on constant video chats means you're not ready to embrace this next big shift, and stopping your employees experiencing the true benefits of remote working.

Can employees sign into your network from home?

The scramble of getting everyone working remotely meant that IT teams around the world spent millions setting up VPNs and remote machines, or taking existing systems and making sure they're ready for a deluge of new users. But perhaps this is a chance to start asking whether those existing systems are fit for purpose.

With systems like BeyondCorp taking the world by storm, try to find ways to revolutionise your technology so employees can access all the tools they need to do their job without the hassle of dated software and slow network connections. After all, remote workers should be just as productive as their office-based colleagues, and forcing them to spend time every day just trying to start work is a big turn-off.

Can we provide all the tools a remote employee will need?

Maybe, but I'll bet you that they'll see lower adoption than you're expecting. Instant Messaging, video-conferencing, and file sharing tools are all part of most people's day-to-day lives, so if you try to enforce substandard corporate alternatives they'll sink like a lead balloon. Instead, focus on building secure, adaptable frameworks that make it simpler to accommodate employees' existing behaviour, rather than pretending it doesn't exist.

Be honest with yourself and you probably fall into this category too: almost everyone uses tools like WhatsApp to discuss projects or send important messages without a second thought to the fact it doesn't meet your company data retention or security policies.

Can we re-open offices?

This time last year, the idea of a large portion of your workforce being remote would have seemed daunting, but having everyone in one office now feels like a distant memory. As things start to get back to normal, the knee-jerk reaction is to start thinking about getting offices opened back up, but think twice about why that's your goal.

Focus your efforts on creating a great remote working experience, not just making temporary concessions, and you'll soon find yourself able to analyse what an office actually means to your team. Take the time to speak to everyone, find out what they're missing by not sharing a physical space, and then re-evaluate your plans. It might be that the office of 2021 looks very different to that of 2019, so embrace the change rather than rushing to return to the past.

Can we get back to normal?

Yes, given time, effort, and a bit of luck, you probably can. But don't waste the opportunity to redefine the core assumptions your business is built on. Reflect on what makes your employees come to work, why your customers choose you over your competition, and what lasting impact you want to have on the world.

Refine everything from your vision to your operational policies until you have a company where everyone is working towards the same goal. Throw out your benefits and ask your staff how you can make the biggest difference to their lives. Sit down with your clients to find out how 2020 has affected them, and think about whether you and your team could do anything to help them recover.

Because if there's one thing that 2020 has taught us it's that we're in this together, even when we're apart. The world has changed in so many ways, just trying to get back to normal is admitting that you've not learnt anything, an admission your staff and customers won't forgive easily. So let's make 2021 the year of asking whether you should, not whether you can.