Focus on the Future The Dawn of the Next Normal is Brighter Than You Might Think

Over the past couple of months, I, along with the rest of the world, experienced the magnitude of COVID-19. It has impacted everyone, a global phenomenon that’s forced us as individuals and organizations to rethink and strategize certain areas that we may have taken for granted. I just shared my thoughts last week in Forbes about how putting people first will ensure business continuity in the Next Normal. Here I want to address the turning point as we round the corner from crisis into the dawning of a new age. What has changed and how will business in the Next Normal be different?

Perhaps when it comes to disruption, it’s not as scary as we think. I see four major changes occurring that will shift business norms in the longterm.

1) Business continuity planning has a new definition.

Business continuity planning was traditionally in place for temporary crises (i.e. security breaches or accidents). These plans would have a clear beginning and end. Most companies’ planning did not take into account an event on the scale of COVID-19. The current situation forced workplaces to evolve into a new reality - not to find a quick and temporary solution.

Today, we understand that BCP is a long-term type of planning that needs to focus on keeping companies agile and adaptable to any situation.

2) Remote capabilities are no longer optional.

Pre-pandemic, only 22% of organizations were ready for mass remote working. Come March 2020, most companies had no choice but to mandate a work from home policy - whether they were ready or not.

Organizations were quick to discover that their dependency on technology increased, and in order to support their employees, they needed to have the right digital tools in place.

As we continue on the trajectory with remote work becoming a more permanent fixture, companies will need to evaluate their technology to maximize communication, onboarding and training, productivity, and employee engagement.

3) Company culture 2.0 has arrived and will continue to evolve.

Companies work hard to craft a unique culture that reflects their values and keeps employees happy and engaged. Now that in-person annual office retreats or happy hours are off the table, companies must be sure they are providing their employees with the best working experience possible.

Employees are an organization’s most valuable asset. The more investment and care that’s shown to employees today, the higher the likelihood a company will thrive in the Next Normal.

4) Digital offerings drive revenue moving forward.

Companies that cannot serve their customers digitally, really suffered as of late and are struggling to get back on their feet. The Next Normal requires that more processes be digitalized and that communication is virtual.

We are entering into a contactless era where all goods and services can be obtained through technological means. To that end, companies will have to invest in digital offerings that are easy for their customers to navigate and their employees to use. 

The shift in technology priorities is unequivocal. Companies pre-COVID-19 might have experimented with “nice to have” tech, but today anything that isn’t crucial to core business must go. Budget cuts will happen across all organizations, underlying the need to make the most optimal software decisions to yield maximum ROI. The companies that identify the right technologies to suit their needs will grow.

The Next Normal is different. We can’t ever “go back,” but we are being offered incredible opportunities for better business processes, better work experiences, and stronger companies and products. Jump on, the time is now.