Back to business – how we prepare for reopening

Gradually, the recovery plans are taking place in the discussions of governments, businesses and each of us. Connected to the same red wire, however, the reopening will come in different forms and stages. How do we navigate in this context? What are the questions that we should ask ourselves, as representatives of the business world, so that we can plan for the next period?

In talking to many of our customers, we have seen some recurring themes and concerns in this process. In series #partnersBusiness it is time to talk about where you can look to inspire you for your own business:

#1 Team

Work from Home has already entered our routine. It remains one of the main topics in the coming period: many of us want to return to the office, but it is natural to think about safety and how we will do our work. Thus, in the return plan, the stages of return to the physical office are important and it is recommended to take into account a few aspects:

Safety at work: depending on national regulations and recommendations in force, each company can implement a number of preventive measures such as temperature monitoring at the entrance to the premises, use of common spaces and elevators, masks and gloves on the premises, etc.
Keep work from home, especially for employees with certain pre-existing medical conditions, in high-risk age groups, those with children.
Change/flexibility of working hours: a flexible arrival time at the office to avoid crowding, reduced lunch break, rotational office attendance (2 weeks by 2 weeks).

The European Agency for Health and Safety at Work has produced a practical guide with recommendations related to the team and return to the office. You can access it here.

#2 Return Plane

Many of the business goals and strategies to achieve them that we started with in early 2020 are already history. We learn from this crisis and, for the comeback plan, we take these lessons and turn them into opportunities. There are many ways you can do this, such as:

Business Model Canvas: a tool that helps you quickly identify key partners, resources, activities and customer relationships
Scenario planning: this is a technique by which a specific set of uncertainties, alternative scenario planning and visualization of the future is identified. There are several ways/forms of scenario planning. One of the most comprehensive is Alternative Futures Scenario, commonly found in the creation of long-term strategies. Specific to this scenario is the focus on trends and forces that are not under the control of the company.
Your own strategic "map", which may include: new target customer segments, rethought products/services, regions (national, international), marketing supply chain and a timeline for each return/implementation

#3 Digital Transformation

A common concept before the crisis, which became overnight the engine of company officials, digital transformation will continue to retain its importance in the reopening plan and long-term way of working. At the beginning of the crisis, you most likely acted to facilitate the team's access to Work from Home, moving towards using collaborative platforms, upgrading security and transferring as much of your operations online as possible.

Now is the right time to press the speed pedal everything related to digital transformation on the relationship with customers and suppliers:

What you can do to better serve current customers and how to reach new customers and what online activities can be transferred to the online domain
How can you gather the best data and information relevant to your business so you can make business decisions based on it?
What does your digital project portfolio look like today and what financial investments can you make?

Back to business

The next period will have many uncertainties, but an integrated approach, with the priorities of team well-being and the creation of a stable business environment, will contribute positively to how you manage your business in the coming period. We are curious: what aspects do you look at in your return strategy and what do you think is important for your field? We're waiting for your answers on our channels.