The New Normal

Is the traditional workplace just a stubborn, antiquated reflex or does it have a logical business imperative?

An unavoidable truth is that our current predicament will bring about changes in the way we do business and interact as a society. The issue is far larger than whether we continue to shake or frequently wash our hands. The degree to which changes can be adopted by various sectors of the economy notwithstanding, all business leaders must undertake an analysis of how current conditions have affected their capabilities regarding crisis management, disaster recovery and business continuity planning,  and how each impacts their competitiveness going forward. In the midst of tremendous unexpected operational change, positive opinions have identified unanticipated  benefits, including more flexible and efficient work from home (WFH) schedules, more collaboration and communication between work associates, and stronger family ties. However, many questions remain-

·         What does “essential” mean? Unique to each business, who is an essential employee who cannot work remotely? What is an essential official physical office location that must be maintained? What work is essential for the business to remain  viable? Are there certain job categories that are better suited to WFH solutions, while others are not? What is the right proportion of each company’s workforce that can WFH?

·         On the subject of the physical location of work, will a bias remain among some business leaders against WFH? Is there a reasonable distrust about WFH employee productivity? In light of the tremendous gains in technology and the ubiquity of internet connectivity, what is the trade-off between the costs of maintaining physical premises and investing in better technology, supporting remote working programs and training managers to manage teams both on-site and remotely?

·         Have other internal costs of WFH been meaningfully analyzed? Will certain company’s expense structures compare favourably against others’ depending on the percentage of remote work they support? How will productivity be impacted by a more flexible work schedule, more convenience, more time available to interact with employees’ families, employees’ increased availability in light of reduced commute times, more happiness and contentment, etc? Will the percentage of adoption of remote work create a more robust Employee Value Proposition? How will that impact the ability to recruit and retain talent ?

·         How are organizations adopting business continuity plans that can future-proof their business? How can businesses ensure identical capabilities in the office and outside the office, how can they ensure security, how can they realize commensurate or better collaboration, communication, and interface between their teams and mission-critical systems? What permanent systems must be in place to protect people, information, cash flow and reputation?

·         What is the external value of the cleaner air that results from WFH (for example - notably clearer skies in New Delhi and LA)? What is the societal value of lower crime? How much traffic congestion is acceptable in our daily lives? Do investors really value a company’s commitment to ESG standards, such as the Sustainability Stock Exchanges initiative? Is there a true positive correlation between strong sustainable performance and financial performance?

Of course, there are many more questions than answers around the issue of a new normal. There is zero probability that all businesses will immediately change the way they do all of their business; some simply cannot. However, as this recent crisis has unfolded, these are just some of the important questions that are being considered by business leaders as they seek to adapt successfully to evolving circumstances.