Coping up with new normal
About 6 months ago, we came to hear about the outbreak of a deadly virus which caused pneumonia-like symptoms and as of today have affected almost every known country. The pandemic has launched an unprecedented and formidable challenge to the whole world drastically affecting the economies and communities likewise.
In the face of these challenges, returning to normal will not be the same as before. Even though every day passes with the uncertainty of what we are going to face tomorrow, our actions today can be a mark of resilience and strength in the fight against the major pandemic and will future the days ahead.
Organizations all around the world are coming together and taking steps to combat the spread of Covid-19 and trying to prepare for the new normal. Well most of them have different approaches and I would like to share our approach and response towards the pandemic.
Our early approach by adopting efficient and effective practices and focussing on building strategies have helped us to keep our employees safe and protect our clients and thus become more resilient and thrive in business in these difficult times.
Simelabs’ response to Covid-19
How has Work From Home helped?
We prioritized the safety of the employees over anything and Work From Home was the first step we took in the initial days of the covid-19 pandemic. Work from Home was not something new for us but this indeed was the first time on such a large scale. Everything including scrums, meetings, daily tasks, follow-ups was done and managed in homes which ensured a flexible and most comfortable working atmosphere for our employees and saviour for all businesses as it could have forced us to shut down. The implications of the employees are also much more in terms of productivity, training and overall well being.
Is work from home possible for all employees?
75% of our employees stay and work from home but some projects demand the presence of employees in the office as they require more team effort and physical presence. We have been ensured the employees a safe workplace with clean personal workspace, sanitizers, hand washing procedures followed by social distancing. For those employees who find it difficult to work from home and still prefer the office as their workplace, effective measures are ensured in the office to provide them with a safe place to work.
How is Simelabs keeping its employees safe?
Simelabs has embraced the policy of Work from home for most of the employees. Those employees were given the instructions and protocols to be followed while working from home to avoid extreme fatigue and to avoid the situation they may get left behind in work. We provide employees with extensive measures to make them aware of the current situation and keep them safe.
How did we create a safe working place for employees?
We have introduced new guidelines and revised procedures that should be followed by all employees for safety and security. Various risk management measures are followed which include social distancing to slow down the spread of infection by ensuring less contact between people. We also make sure every employee wears a mask. Handwashing facilities with clean running water, soap, paper towels or air dryers and hand sanitiser facilities in locations such as workspaces, office entrances/exits to encourage hand hygiene are also provided. In addition to all this, the office is cleaned routinely instead of regularly.
How has Simelabs dealt with this pandemic?
Our decision-making skills which involve taking the right decision on the behalf of the organisation at the right time helped us to preserve the continuity in business as well as empower the resilience across our organisation. We follow the protocols provided by the World Health Organisation, keep tabs on the current situation which includes the government orders and directives and thus work accordingly. We have established few immediate steps which involved establishing remote working options, reducing the meetings and travel, providing flexibility for the employees, prioritizing the safety of people, establishing good communication with customers, shifting the strategies to an online platform and maintaining hygiene in every aspect of the business.
What is Simelabs business continuity plan?
Most companies experience lots of interruptions during this pandemic which may have put their business in stake with heavy losses. We have faced many challenges including the shift in the consumer demand which have helped us to pave the way for new projects like Indventr. We did negotiate with the new terms and conditions which include financial stability and have brought the best creative ideas into action. We have brought many effective measures for our employees including work from home, safety at our office, flexible working options which have led to more productivity. While the pressure in the house eases off, we also monitor and communicate with our clients to instil confidence in them. Simelabs have always operated with transparency with open communication with employees and clients which have been greatly appreciated in times of the pandemic.
How Simelabs manage clients?
Simelabs has taken several steps to ensure the client services are not interrupted. With 75% of employees working from home, we monitor their work to provide the best services on time to the customers. We also maintain clear, transparent and timely communication with our clients which have helped us to support our clients’ needs and sustain the relationship.
Summary
A pandemic outbreak of this magnitude has shaken all sectors of business challenging us in all manners but we choose to fight these challenges and identify the existing trends, bring out new creative ideas and set them to action. We try to anticipate opportunities in every situation which have helped us to sustain and maintain a more resilient business environment.