Navigating the next normal? It’s all about balance…

COVID-19 has caused a seismic shift to the way we live and work – forcing businesses to experiment with new ways of working and undertake digital transformations at top speed.

Now, as we start to emerge from crisis-mode, businesses are getting to grips with what the ‘next normal’ will mean for them by reimagining how their work can work.

Including:

• Continuing home working – many employees are feeling nervous about returning to a physical workplace, particularly if they travel by public transport or have underlying health conditions. Discussions are taking place about whether UK workers should be given the legal right to work from home. Many businesses are even considering removing a physical office completely now that they’ve set their business up to enable effective home working.
• Increased use of technology – where offices do remain open, the Government’s guidelines state that a COVID-secure workspace should include less face to face interactions – for example continuing to use video calls instead of holding meetings in physical groups. Technology that enables collaboration, no matter how far apart your employees are working from each other, will be key here.
• Staying human – even if our businesses can work remotely, should we? Working with people face-to-face has a range of benefits, including on our general wellbeing. So, if our businesses do remain mostly digital, we’ll need to find ways to retain a human element.
• Becoming COVID-secure – for business who can’t continue to accommodate full team home working as easily, the Government have produced a set of guidelines to make sure workplaces are safe for employees to work in. This is known as being COVID-secure, and includes arranging for teams to work in social bubbles and staggering shift times to adhere to reduced office capacities (discover more on our sister site).

Moving your business forward

With so much to adapt to (and still more uncertainty ahead), what’s the best way to bring your business into the next normal?

While each business will need to respond differently, balancing the following three priorities will absolutely be key:

1. Understand how your employees feel about returning to ‘business as usual’, and shaping your people plans around this
2. Create a strong strategy to move your organisation forward
3. Make robust business continuity plans so you can be confident that your business is ready, no matter what happens next

Getting ready for the next normal

Cascade’s fully integrated HR and Payroll Management system is at the forefront of the next normal. Whatever your business’s needs, our intuitive and flexible software can deliver a dynamic HR solution that meets them.

Available anytime, any place and on any device, Cascade can help you to streamline your processes, improve employee engagement and enable robust business continuity planning – enhancing your competitive advantage right now while also preparing your business for everything the future holds.