Ever since the very beginning of the pandemic, people have been yearning for a “post-COVID” world, where things are back to normalcy.
As time goes by, that “post-COVID” normalcy remains a far off prospect. First predictions put it at the end of 2021, then end of 2022. Now, it seems like it may take up to 7 years!
But what if there is no such thing as post-COVID normalcy?
Many experts believe that, regardless of advancements in vaccines and treatments, COVID-19 may never go away and instead will become just another endemic disease, not unlike common colds. It should not come as a surprise given that we are rarely capable of eradicating a virus, with the lone exception of smallpox.
Still, the more important aspect of this pandemic is how we react and adapt to it.
For many, the tragic losses caused by the pandemic are permanent. But even for those who are more fortunate, the impacts will likely continue to be felt for a very long time to come.
Just like airport security measures have never really gone away post-911, health and safety protocols imposed during the pandemic are unlikely to be completely removed in the future. There will always be lingering fears of the virus coming back with a vengeance so people can’t afford to let their guard down.
Additionally, some changes simply cannot be rolled back once they gain enough momentum.
During World War II, millions of women entered the workforce, occupying jobs traditionally held by men only. And since then, there has been no looking back, the roles of women in modern society have permanently changed and glass ceilings are, thankfully, being repeatedly shattered.
Just like most women post-WWII were not thrilled about giving up their newly-earned roles, it is easy to imagine many people who have been working from home / working from anywhere will also not be so eager to go back to their cubicles.
From an employer’s perspective, you also need to ask yourself if you really want to go back to that business-as-usual normalcy. As I mentioned earlier, some health and safety procedures required for office spaces may become permanent, making work-from-office more inconvenient and costlier than before.
Of course, there is the idea of sharing the same building with hundreds or even thousands of other people and using the same crowded lifts, hallways, restrooms, and entrances. In the pre-COVID era, such an idea is at most a mild annoyance, in today’s world, you don’t have to be paranoid to feel uneasy about it.
More virtual, less physical. That will be the way of the world forward. From WFA (work from anywhere) to virtual internships, the workplace is permanently changed. As a result, enterprise collaboration software such as Microsoft Teams may one day be as ubiquitous as any office software suite is today.
Cloud-first strategy, once considered ground-breaking, now is already dated in the wake of accelerating adoption of the cloud-only strategy. Without a doubt, cloud services are instrumental in maintaining business resilience in such disruptive moments and are now at the tipping point for many who were resistant to letting go of their on-premises IT mindset.
Charting a future course for the organisation has always been a daunting task for many business leaders. And during such a pivotal time like this, it is critical to embrace the Business-As-UnUsual normalcy. Rejecting the new reality and hoping for the comeback of the old ways because they are safer and more convenient is nothing short of wishful thinking.
