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.”
Our actions appear consistent with the advice provided by the International Maritime Organisation for work Post COVID-19. They include:
Rationalize – Identify key aspects and people required to ensure continued operations and normalized activities.
People – Understand the requirements of your people (including health, social and transport considerations) and how these can be incorporated into the new normal after COVID-19. Ensure that for key people back-up staff are available, ensure management is aware of key operational and safety procedures.
Processes – Ensure your authentication and security processes, including cyber security, meet the requirements of your community, bearing in mind increased external accesses. It is also difficult to “instantly” digitalize a process during a crisis, so it is important to plan how to digitalize all the processes that are still paper-based.
Connectivity – Connect beyond your local area, to help create connected supply chains, to ensure that if similar situations occur, critical goods can be kept moving. Use a variety of online videoconferencing tools to support this and to overcome overload of particular solutions.
Test – Regularly conduct exercises to test solutions which address possible problem scenarios. Such tests must be done under circumstances as realistic as possible.
Supportive – Ensure you are able to provide the support your users and employees require to deal with a post-COVID-19 world. This may include training in online tools such as video conferencing and helpdesk operating software.
International standards – Use of international standards, particularly data reference models simplifies data exchange.
We look forward to hearing from you with comments on this article, suggestions for topics to be covered and sharing of your HR experience, especially during the COVID-19 era. Please feel free to share this Newsletter with your contacts. We also welcome guest authors and look forward to receiving your articles for publication. We will explore “Celebrating the Little Heroes of COVID-19: Our Children,” in Issue # 8. Please share your stories of your little heroes with us by June 9, 2020.
We, at VF Inc, stand ready to serve and be of service to our clients and prospective clients, “with Integrity and Excellence,” in keeping with our Motto.
Until next week, May God continue to keep us in the Palm of His Hands. Please send us your questions, comments and share your experience managing in the COVID-19.
- A writer of inspirational maxims
- COVID-19 – Preparing for Post COVID-19 Operations: Considerations and Practicalities for Port Community Systems, Single Window and other Electronic Exchange Platforms,” International Maritime Organisation, May 25, 2020
- A Guide to Thriving in the Post COVID-19 Workplace, “June 3, 2020, World Economic Forum COVID Action Platform.
- 3 Steps to Prepare for Post COVID-19 Business World,” March 24, 2020, Clickz.
This article is copyright © 2020 DOM767
