Navigating a post-covid world

Management should simply shred its 2019 strategies, the landscape has changed so much since then

Failure to surf the digital wave of transformation in the workplace has left many SA companies foundering in choppy waters.

But for many, the killer blow will come for those who don’t manage the employee aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Covid has changed the future of work,” said Kim Smallie, who chairs a forum for the Border Kei Chamber of Business on employee relations and education.

After March 2020, when SA’S non-essential organisations had to send their workforces home, the businesses hit the worst were mainly those that were unprepared digitally. Those that were, thrived.

In response to many chamber members’ concerns, Smallie said the chamber arranged a “Future of Work” conference, which was held last week at EL’S International Convention Centre.

The speakers, all leaders in their fields, were Dion Chang (Flux Trends), Cindy Squair (Circle&square) and Thapelo Lakaje (Mercedes-benz).

Chang’s topic was “The Lockdown Life Audit and How it is Shaping the Workforce of the Future.”

He said the pandemic had challenged the old corporate structures.

“The genie is out of the bottle. Management might as well shred its 2019 strategies.”

One of the biggest changes comes from “work from home”.

People grew accustomed to not having to travel and they resented being forced back into an office post lockdown, simply because a building exists and decision-makers feel compelled to use it, despite the fact that many people are as productive, or more so, when working from home.

A direct result, he said, is what has been termed “the great resignation“, where people are prepared to quit rather than being forced back to the office.

Although many jobs, like those on production lines, demand onsite work, he knows of no large global group that has convinced workers who could stay at home that returning to the office was in their best interests.

CROSSHEAD: Goodbye, workaholic Another measurable change is that a growing segment of “woke” workers have rejected the “hustle culture” of constant working, where tasks follow the workers home, into their leisure time, as well as joining them on holiday.

While being married to the job was once considered a promotable asset, research shows it has been a major cause of burnout, which shreds productivity.

“Workaholism” creates busy people, but they are often ineffective with low productivity and performance.

“We have proved that output is not governed by time.”

In fact many workers are now going against the culture of doing as much as possible, taking a 180° switch to doing as little as possible – and with it, divorcing work from home. Quality of life, flexibility, more free time and desired living locations are trumping work, especially for those whose skills are in demand.

There is, he said, an expanding talent pool of global remote workers. In fact a third of workers are now freelance, who are rewarded on output, not for sitting at a desk under the eagle eye of a supervisor.

Another thing, he said: there is a growing push for the four-day week. The 40-hour week dates back to the industrial revolution, when 80 hours was the norm but it was killing people. Henry Ford introduced 40 hours.

Post-pandemic people – those not married to the job – are simply downing tools and going on holiday, something unheard of in the days of the workaholic attitude.

● For more information on the

seminar’s and the speakers’ background, and a look at future BKCOB Live’s events, visit Dispatch interview with event co-ordinator Kim Smallie