Competitive edge, pivot, lean, agile, goal focussed…. No, this is not commentary on a sporting match, but the prism through which we have viewed successful businesses in recent years. Until life as we knew it was upended by…..Covid.
Employers and employees responded, taking up the challenge of reviewing work practices and making the adjustments necessary to keep business operating. Where practicable, working from home became the option, alternatively, changing shift patterns and staffing rosters was implemented. As we move through the transition phase, we have a unique opportunity to review how and where we work.
Frontline roles can, by definition, only be done effectively in person. Often these roles go unnoticed by many yet are critical to the overall success of the business. If nothing else, our experience over the last 2 years has shone the spotlight on these jobs, and the people who make our lives safer and easier. As we return to the office and the relative luxury of a hybrid office/ remote work mode, perhaps this is the perfect time to reset some of the values and conditions attributed to different categories of jobs.
It would be a missed opportunity if, while we are all focussed on rebuilding businesses and the economy in general, we did not take the time to remember the value of the individual. A competitive edge can be created by adding value to the product or service, not simply delivering a cheaper product, faster. We should “build back better”, invest time in developing creative solutions and develop workplace cultures that recognise that the language of success needs to be much broader than that of recent years.
What are your thoughts?