How to prepare your firm for a world post-virus

Since it first appeared in late 2019, the novel Coronavirus has managed to affect all four corners of the earth and transformed our lives in ways never before thought possible.

As we slowly begin to emerge from the worst of the crisis with the on-going vaccination program, it’s becoming abundantly clear we’re merely at the tip of the iceberg in terms of the longer-lasting effects brought about by the virus. As well as the economic challenges COVID has brought to world-wide markets, it’s also affected populations on a far more personal level, with an estimated 114 million redundancies through 2020 alone.

The longer-term impact of Coronavirus on business

While the vaccination program undoubtedly offers a sense of there being light at the end of the tunnel, the lessons, habits, and practices learned through isolation and lockdown are very unlikely to simply disappear – even after the virus has left. Indeed, many suspect that our ‘new normal’ will look very different to the world we used to enjoy, and remote-working will probably be with us for some time – if not forever.

Through lockdown, the businesses that have survived (and, in some cases, thrived) were those best-suited to adapting to a new way of work. In particular, those firms with robust existing online networks, e-commerce facilities, and a strong presence on social media platforms all weathered the COVID storm relatively well. If that doesn’t sound like your company, below are just a few changes you should consider making now to help future-proof your business.

Changes you can make today to prepare for the new tomorrow

Most experts agree that the world of work has changed forever through COVID, but there are many steps you can take today to ensure you’re better prepared for what lies ahead:

Invest in your website, SEO, and web marketing

As the world went into isolation, eCommerce companies thrived through the virus. However, with it being a great place to do well, it has become very crowded. Therefore, if you want to stand any chance of competing in the future, you’ll need to have a strong online presence, including being found in search engines and fostering a strong relationship between your brand and consumers socially. Investing in your website, whether that be an e-com-enabled or just showcase, will increase your exposure on the web. Perhaps more importantly, look at investing in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to increase the chances of your firm being found on the major search engines (particularly Google).

Prepare for long term remote-working

Over the last year, most employees reported enjoying the better work/life balance afforded by working from home – while employers also reaped the benefits of lower expenses from not having staff attend the workplace. If you want to make the best of these opportunities, you’ll need to invest in adequate networking technology and software like project or task management apps. There are many reasons why you should use task management software – not least of which is that it allows remote workers and teams to work collaboratively on jobs while also staying on top of individual responsibilities.

Ensure your workplace is COVID-ready

Distancing is likely to be with us for a while yet so, if you intend still having a fixed office location, you will need to ensure it is ready for the return of staff. There are many considerations, including making sure there’s adequate spacing between desks, one-way routes through premises, regular cleaning of office equipment, and sufficient hand-sanitizer provision.