Hyderabad: It is said that change is inevitable and a continuous process. It can be gradual or a sudden one. Change can be categorized under two main types. Change that take place in nature we have little or no control over and the other kind of change is where one can exercise some degree of control.
If we talk about the ongoing pandemic, a lot of changes were witnessed by all of us not only locally but on a global level as well.
Let us see what all changes have we observed and what are the changes that we can anticipate:
Office Environment
Companies in China have initiated most of the tasks on a war footing. They have brought in the ‘Six-Foot Office’ agenda, as part of starting its operations. In this method, there should be at least ‘six feet’ of distance between the seating of the employees working in the office. Interiors have been modified to suit the requirements of the 6-feet social distancing norms. In India too, some offices have already taken steps to do so. This way, employees feel confident that they are working in a safe and healthy environment.
In this new normal world, desks are positioned in such a way that there is at least 6-feet distance between the desks. Companies may adopt this approach over the next few months to keep Corona at bay.
Entry will be strategized such that the employee can use facial recognition software or the QR code in their phones, without having to use any touch-pads or swiping machinery passes, to enter into the offices.
Companies may increase investments in workplace air-purification systems as well.
New Inventions
At present, sales have dropped drastically as people are not buying products physically. To counter such a state of affairs, the companies are trying to reach out to their customers virtually. Most companies are thinking on similar lines.
“Experience from Home” - This is the new slogan of companies. This is bound to bring about a change in people's shopping habits. Virtual reality apps can be brought in to make the people feel their presence in a showroom while being at home itself.
Some automobile companies in India are also pushing for online sales. Companies like Volvo have introduced 'contactless programs' to book new cars while being at home itself.
Supermarket companies have started free home delivery of goods. Even relaxation of lockdown norms in the future is not likely to encourage people to visit the supermarkets for groceries. That is why these companies may continue these home deliveries in the future too. The use of online goods delivery apps such as the Amazon Pantry and BigBasket, which are already successful, is also likely to increase.
Until now companies like Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy, Zomato and BigBasket have been hiring delivery boys to take care of the home delivery operations of their products. This type of operation may increase soon and many more companies are likely to adopt this method. This will in a way increase the employment opportunities for the unemployed youth.
Work From Home
The opportunity of ‘Work From Home’, which was thought to be impossible for implementation for at least the next 5 years, has become the norm of the day, due to the current demand that rose because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tata Consultancy Services has announced that in the future, most of its staff will be restricted to 'Work from Home' (WFH). Other IT companies are also likely to do the same.
Not just IT companies, but most of the start-ups are also likely to opt ‘Work from home’ as a priority operational methodology. There is also a possibility of drastically reducing costs by operating this way. This is because office operational costs are a heavy burden for a start-up company.
Larger workplaces can be move towards smaller offices with few employees. Companies may also be willing to encourage staff to work from different locations. Traditional companies may also offer technology such as video conferencing and online permissions.
Generally, in private organizations, when you come up with an idea, you will be able to share the idea and discuss it with your seniors and colleagues, to take it forward. Many companies who are unable to utilize the skills of women who are not able to offer their skills post-delivery and other reasons, can now work from the comfort of their homes.
Companies can adopt the policy of – ‘ACT-PAUSE-ASSESS-ANTICIPATE-ACT’.
Domestic System supply
So far, we have been relying for some of the raw materials and other necessities to be imported from overseas. Automobile companies in particular rely heavily on China. Companies now strongly believe that this dependency principle should be reduced.
A spokesperson for Tata Steel says the local supply system is likely to increase after the downfall of coronavirus. In this regard, domestically the tendency to favor the neighboring states will also grow.
Experts say that even the most unexpected changes are likely to take place in the future. Usually, such innovations and ideas come to the fore because of the lessons learnt after facing a major crisis. Therefore, it is apt to say that COVID-19 is likely to bring about a positive change all over the world.
ALSO READ:Key takeaways of PM Modi's address to nation
