Reimagining the Future Post COVID

Several weeks ago, I participated in an insightful webinar where Josh Bersin described the idea of a 'Back-to-work' Playbook. In his post, Josh describes how companies have responded to COVID-19 in three phases: React, Respond and Return (see exhibit).

Josh describes the React stage as "coming to grips with the new reality". The shutdown of businesses and work was an example of the React stage. The Respond stage is all about "adjusting business practices to the new reality" and the shift from face-to-face learning to online learning is an example of this second stage. The Return stage is about "business transformation" and many businesses are currently in this stage where they are thinking about making big changes to their business operations and processes.

The Safe Work Playbook example from Lear Corporation (detailed in his post) does a fantastic job of putting things into perspective. This back-to-work checklist by Josh Bersin Academy does a good job of supporting the 'Return' phase.

While it is important to focus on 'back-to-work', it is equally important to understand from organizations and people that never left work! Needless to say, all essential services continued to be available and manufacturers continued production. But they had to be the first ones to react, respond and return. Some innovated to on-demand manufacturing and others pivoted very quickly to pandemic-related manufacturing. The 3-D printing industry was one of the early sectors to respond to the needs of increased demand for PPE for nurses and doctors. So, were schools and universities that shifted to emergency remote teaching. And there are learnings to be had from those early innovations.

Now that some countries and companies are beginning to see themselves in the Return stage, it is perhaps time to think about to the next step in this process?

In an article in McKinsey & Company, the writers highlight how industries need to think and act across five horizons. On this path, beyond Return, there is Reimagination and Reform (see exhibit).

"To rebound from the coronavirus pandemic, industries must undertake a journey that begins with resolve and ends with fundamental reform."

In March 2020, Greta Thunberg tweeted this:

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As we move forward, it is time to think about some of the issues and crises that we were suffering through in the days of what we called as normal. As we make our way forward, perhaps the most important thing to remember is that there is no going back. 

In terms of the workplace, we have seen how remote work is suddenly 'normal' after years of it being an exception or a challenge to the norm. In the same light, schools and traditional brick and mortar universities rapidly shifted to distance learning where making this technology leap was their greatest challenge and a potential roadblock for growth just a few months ago.  The 'future of work' as we knew it is here and it is now. This is the time to let go of the shackles of our minds and part with habits, systems and processes that haven't worked. 

We are all defining our new normal as individuals, companies, countries and the world. This is the time when we need to think out of the box and take the leap beyond what we know to what we can imagine or perhaps that what we cannot even imagine. Where is that leap of imagination taking you?

References:

• https://joshbersin.com/2020/04/the-back-to-work-playbook-its-being-written-now/
• https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/advanced-electronics/our-insights/coronavirus-five-strategies-for-industrial-and-automotive-companies

Resources: 

• https://www.osler.com/en/resources/regulations/2020/the-employer-s-covid-19-return-to-the-workplace-playbook
• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html
• https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1PhtKhFRE96lzx7fUQe91lPJp3_UWDjua-35HRgTO1hQ/mobilebasic

Related:

• https://tarunagoel.blogspot.com/2020/04/learning-and-development-post-covid-19.html