Tag: employee wellbeing

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed structural weaknesses and widened inequalities across the world. Even before the pandemic, the rise of automation and innovative technologies were transforming the world of work, resulting in an urgent need for upskilling of talent.

South African companies are acknowledging that the post COVID-19 period requires new thinking on talent and skills retention, embracing technology, incorporating sustainability in business models, and investing more in employee well-being, benefits and engagement.

Business as usual has been flipped on its head in 2020. What was for many companies second nature, sending employees across country and continent to meet with clients and colleagues, sign new business and share knowledge has become a more measured and complex exercise.

Transformation and innovation make 2020 a year to remember as pandemic catapults new digital service offerings to elevated heights. We have embraced 2020 with a strong focus on people and health and safety; innovative technology and finding solutions to keep customer service at an all-time high.

Few would have predicted that the first year of the third decade of the millennium would be turned on its head by a global pandemic. What was to be ‘twenty plenty’ became an anomaly with events that went beyond the realm of normal expectations and changed the way we work, live and play.

Corporates are currently dealing with how to report company performance whilst navigating a myriad of uncertainties due to the outbreak of COVID-19. This includes ensuring that not just the financial information but the environmental, social and governance elements of the annual report are an accurate reflection of the company’s response to this pandemic.

Many of us have stayed later at work to meet a tight deadline or finish a large project, but would we work frequent unpaid hours? Have you considered the toll this can have on your mental health and wellbeing? It is well established and commonly known across the world that work-related stress is a huge contributor to work absence.

The only certainty in life is that there will be uncertainty - having a clear plan on how to keep employees engaged and connected can help mitigate these times. Most businesses are no strangers to challenges. However, the current global crisis has created several new challenges for businesses and employees alike. Among these new difficulties that need to be dealt with are persistent pressures that erode morale over time.

Responsible leadership has taken on an even deeper meaning, as our workforces and our customers find themselves in an unfamiliar, fast-moving global environment. COVID-19 has changed the way we live and work already, with far-reaching impact.

Renewed emphasis on digitalisation as a key strategy for sustainability is placing pressure on CIOs to ensure corporate systems are resilient. One certainty that has emerged from the COVID-19 crisis is that organisations embarking on digitalisation were better prepared to respond to the crisis.