How Covid -19 Can Transform our Perspectives

Few months ago I was speaking to a senior officer about a components of Disaster Mitigation project. She asked me about the nitty gritty of the project to which I explained the components of that project as well as their need and their effectiveness. Her response was not positive, and she clearly said that it is wastage of money. Spending Millions of Rupees just for use of 2-3 weeks in a year does not make sense. Looking at his approach I did not say anything as it was not related to our projects.

I hope after this pandemic Disaster Management Mitigation measures will be looked seriously at all levels and need of Emergency Protocols / Trainings / Remedial Measures to be taken and Creation of SOP's to cater to various types of Disasters will become a priority.

I have tried to highlight few issues which were faced by our colleagues & suggested some measures which can be easily implemented.

1)   First Thing which happened with sudden Lock down was that Most of people lost access to their Files (hard Copies) & Computers in their offices hence cannot even do Work from Home even if they have computers at Home. This can be mitigated by using Cloud , We can start Using Cloud storage so that dependency on physical computers is reduced and can be accessed from any where

2)   No / Wrong databases of Employees ; This may sound unusual particularly to Private Sector but this is true. We need always an updated database of our employees s that in case of any emergency the person close to our offices can operate from there and help others who may not be able to come to offices during this time.

3)   Identify employees with critical skills who are not easily replaced on short notice. Look for others who could learn the task, recent retirees, or consider an outsourcing plan.

4)   Compassion towards Employees ; This is the time when team work is needed at most. The skills of every person should be Known to each other so that they can be effectively used.

5)   Tell sick employees to stay home. Businesses that do not offer paid sick leave should consider temporarily offering sick leave.

6)   Identify critical employee groups. This could be a Admin department, payment processing team, or any functions that the company absolutely must have operating every day. Then consider whether some of these functions can be covered by employees at a different location. For example, is it possible for one regional office / project office to provide service to another regional office / project office whose employees are sick?

7)   Ensure that work-at-home systems are running well, which includes computer security. Many businesses are now scammed by a fake email that tells an employee to send a payment to a new supplier. With many people working at home, businesses need protocols for phone conversations to limit this risk.

8)   Talk to critical suppliers of both goods and services about their ability to deliver reliably. Forward this article along to them, then have a conversation. Consider setting up alternative suppliers. We had a major issue because the supplier who used to supply us Cartridges for project could not do it hence we had to go for other one since the approvals for same / Justifications for alternative Procurement and time for Procurement process take time it hurts the productivity in a time when productivity is least. We also need emergency Procurement processes and fast approvals in Private organization during such times.

9)   Create contingency plans: Start with scenario-planning strategies for different demand environments

10) Mitigate supply shock: Work closely with existing suppliers while diversifying the supply base 

11) Manage demand volatility: Manage panic buying situations while taking on a responsbile retailer role 

12) Plan to close some of your locations. Think through security and equipment maintenance issues ahead of time.

13) Make work safe: Invest in protective gear for supply-chain workers and communicate via apps to manage time, availability and safety

14) Disruption planning : The key is to be prepared, which is why we are working closely with businesses to ensure they have planning in place – not just for this issue, but any kind of business interruption.

15) Prevention in the workplace : Employers have a legal duty to ensure the safety of employees while at work. In the context of this virus (and any others like it), this means taking measures to prevent both employees who are travelling to, or coming back from, affected areas from contracting the disease or allowing others in the workplace to contract it from an infected person. Policy-makers must balance numerous factors when assessing their containment strategy, with the impact on healthcare systems being traded off against long-term damage to the economy. Decisive and aggressive action to contain the outbreak can pay dividends in the long run. Attempts to delay containment efforts have so far only delayed the inevitable by a week or so – while potentially adding a large multiple to the levels of stress on healthcare systems. It is important to consider these factors and plan for how they may affect your ability to run your business. Areas to plan for include:

• How will you ensure cash flow for Working Capital?
• How you will maintain your essential services or activities with high numbers of staff absence over an extended period;
• What essential goods and services you rely on and how you will manage any disruptions to supply;
• How you can implement alternative work practices in your workplace (for example, social distancing measures, remote working capability);
• What services will need additional support to meet a surge in demand (for example, IT support services); and
• How you can protect your workers and reduce the risk of spread of the pandemic influenza virus in your workplace.

16) Encouraging the Colleagues who work irrespective of all odds in this difficult time in field: Since I work in Construction sector which has been hard hit by this Virus , However this was one of the first sectors employing the most vulnerable people which was opened up , Few organization (like SMEC )sent Letters signed by their senior Management to the staff working in remote locations which not only motivated the field staff but encouraged them to put in more efforts. Such small initiatives may be very small, but the Morale boost due to such certificates of appreciation and and individual one to one call to field staff is very high because Restoring trust, credibility, and common purpose in such situation is Key to Success.

References ;

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-personal-shopper/2020/04/01/the-best-sectional-sofas-to-match-your-style/#403f054d42f3

https://www.publicissapient.com/insights/coronavirus_and_managing_the_supply_chain_amid_a_crisis

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/research-can-help-organizations-plan-for-different-covid-19-scenarios/

https://www.cecc.org.nz/CECC_Public/BusinessSupport/Corona_Virus_-_what_you_need_to_know.aspx

https://www.pwc.com/us/en/library/covid-19/crisis-management.html