We thank you for your positive comments on Issue #6, which addressed the issue of Resilience. Before we delve into the topic of this week, we take a minute to stand in solidarity with the family of George Floyd and all who face systemic racism, discrimination and disregard for black lives. We hope that just as COVID-19 has irreversibly changed our lives all over the world, that George Floyd’s murder will serve as the catalyst to lead to a worldwide dismantling of systemic racism and discrimination and lead to respect for black lives and all lives facing racism and discrimination. This week we explore the topic, “Work and Business Post COVID-19.”
In preparing for work and business Post Covid-19, we, at VF Inc, undertook a number of steps detailed below. Some of the steps commenced at the height of the COVID-19 era:
- Keep Connected to Staff – We communicate regularly, stay attune to staff needs and provide needed support.
- Remain Available to our clients – We remain available to our clients, and in the height of the COVID-19 lockdown, offered free HR support to select clients to help them navigate the fallout from COVID-19.
- Maintain contact with clients – We keep in touch with clients through periodic phone calls, emails and this newsletter, VF Inc’s Voice is one of our ways of maintaining regular contact with our clients and prospective clients. In a further move, we will be officially launching the VF Inc’s YouTube Channel and VF Inc’s Voice Podcast in July 2020. Our new website will also be launched in July 202Review Strategic and Marketing Plans – A comprehensive review of our strategic plan was undertaken. It necessitated a review of our Marketing and Promotion Plan. Prior to COVD-19, we augmented our governance structures and a review revealed the robustness of our governance structures.
- Conduct of a Human Resource Skills and Competency Assessment – This assessment was based on the Revised Strategic Plan and has clearly identified the gaps which exist, and a plan for closing the Gap has already been formulated for implementation.
- Develop Business Continuity Plan – COVID-19 laid bare the inadequacies in our business continuity plan. We were able to correct the shortcomings quickly, but it also propelled us to take effective action to prepare a comprehensive Business Continuity Plan that covers a multiplicity of risks including cybersecurity, natural disasters, fire, flood, viruses & diseases, riots, black swan events. We know that many companies were also found wanting in this critical area.
- Expand Technological Capacity – VF Inc, from inception allowed remote working, and this was an easy transition for us. We, however, had to strengthen security to ensure confidentiality of our information, intellectual property and that of our clients. We also expanded our e-platforms to be able to continue to serve our clients.
- Rethink Delivery of our services – We have revamped considerably the delivery mode of many of our programmes, including our training programmes, and human resource consultancy services, including the Job Evaluation and Grading Exercise.
- Remain Agile & Build Resilience – COVID-19 also highlighted the need to be proactive and to build resilience to ensure our sustainability.
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