The pandemic has caused a significant impact on many company’s operations worldwide. While several businesses set up a remote workforce to manage the COVID-19 outbreak, many companies had to lay off their employees in a desperate attempt to keep their business running. CG-VAK also faced two challenges: preparing the workforce for the pandemic and how fast and how to manage the economy without taking out the employees of their jobs.
How Did CG-VAK Sail Through the Tough Time during the Pandemic?
We prepared ourselves in three folds: Our managers accepted the new reality and new threats proactively, invested in modern telecommunication and IT systems, and established remote workforce synergy, and introduced a new set of employee awards.
While we knew pivoting the operations wasn’t impossible, the hurdles were many, mainly because we dealt with a massive amount of sensitive database, IT infrastructure, and over 500+ employees working in different locations. However, we managed to sail through by making the right decisions at the right time and by incorporating new, inventive ways to establish an efficient workforce. This included changing certain operations, communicating with staff frequently, and incorporating employee rewards and recognitions periodically.
Many businesses have reopened their operations with uncertainty in the last quarter of 2020. If you are one of them, these following tips will help you build a measurable growth strategy in 2021 as they helped us.
Best Practices to Respond to Covid-19 Crisis
CG-VAK’s top management continually looks up and analyzes statistics, news, and social media data in regions where we have set up a customer base to understand how the pandemic has impacted the country’s economy.
1. Open Options for Remote Working
A large portion of your workforce (non -manufacturing) can be transitioned to a remote telecommunication system, such as accounting, payroll, HR, sales and marketing, customer service, processing, meetings & management, and IT. Being a Offshore Software Development Company and Solution Provider, we could replace 90% of our infrastructure with a remote workforce.
- Made sensible working rules with flexible working hours and trained managers to enforce them to make 2021 promising.
- Identified and hired employees who can work effectively from a remote location without much assistance.
- Develop ideas and tactics on how to continue operations with limited access to resources.
2. Reward and Promote WFH Employees and Build a Strong Team for 2021
With less physical meetings, fewer lunches together, and less people talking to each other, we altered the traditional employee appreciation and reward system for the virtual workforce:
3. Built a Remote Workforce Community
We organize online meetings through chats, phone calls, and video conferencing every day to share and brainstorm new ideas. We ensure there is an active involvement between everyone so that officials don’t feel isolated. We also facilitate team-wise and one-on-one meetings to develop confidence among executives.
4. Provide Sustenance through Employee Recognition
To keep day to day workers, managers, and leaders motivated and sustained, we recognize our people differently.
- We reflect on our people and express heartfelt appreciation for their loyalty and resilience.
- Unlike many companies, we have forgone cutting down the monthly salaries or incentives by 25%.
- Introduced pandemic-based new incentive schemes to keep staff motivated.
- We are specific at pointing out employee accomplishments, so they realize their efforts are recognized and valued.
- Personally thanked the silent heroes like our employees who worked behind the scenes, consistently, without seeking appreciation. They are the backbone of our company.
- Included their family members while recognizing the efforts of our staff.
5. Stayed Practical by Providing Incentives that is Needed
Right now, a restaurant coupon or a gift card would be an inappropriate incentive or reward. We instead ask our employees what they would prefer as an incentive in return for a job well done.
6. We Think Beyond Emails
We ensure to communicate beyond emails to ensure steady connection throughout the day. For instance, Skype and Go To Meetings are the most preferred communication tools. We also communicate via social media apps and phone calls to check on projects and provide feedback.
7. Virtual Events in CG-VAK
Since we are spread out across India and the USA, we have employees working from different cultural backgrounds. It is now even more important to respect each person’s religious events and cultures when rewarding them. Besides, we hold virtual events every month to celebrate important milestones achieved by our teams and Indian festivals to ensure unity and active communication despite the remote work environment.
8. Use of Current Telecommunication
All of the above goals will be impossible to achieve without significant changes in telecommunication and operations. We did not hesitate to install and implement modern tools to improve business continuity across all departments. We have encouraged our employees to use the best internet connection providers with better network speed, increased the number of VPN connections, using competitive video conferencing services and collaborative tools like Microsoft teams, purchased better laptops and tablets for remote workers, and upgraded our OS and IT systems to latest frameworks.
CG-VAK is Focusing on Success
Summing up, amidst the current, sharp economic downturns, we take pride in having fared well. We have hired more remote workers, improved our customer and employee experience despite the challenges in transition, and tried to focus on the success of our business, health management of our individual employees. We have worked hard to soothe employees’ minds with motivation, hope, and confidence. We channel power from each other and look for opportunities to grow forward rather than blame the COVID-19 and play the victim.
It is the right time to celebrate what we have – our people, our health, our business, and products and services – and take positive inspiration.