In parts of the world, the Covid crisis appears to be on the wane, hopefully. However, this is the time to resist the urge to revert back to the way things were in 2019. Instead, it’s an opportunity for re-invention — and there never has been a greater opportunity at that. Peoples’ attitudes toward many things — digitization, remote work, change — have shifted overnight.
Don’t waste this opportunity. “Companies may have a natural tendency to revert to the way things were prior to the pandemic because it’s familiar, easy, and comfortable,” says John Mullen, president of US markets for Capgemini. “But if they go down this route, once the pandemic ends and they are back in their previous routines, they won’t be taking advantage of all the great progress, innovation, and strides as a business that they took over the past year.”
As Covid wanes, “it’s also natural for people to slow down, get complacent, and lose adrenaline – but organizations and leaders must not take their feet off the gas,” Mullen advises. “The opportunity to move fast and capture new market share is still out there to be had, and if a business stops being aggressive, others will swoop in.”
This means time to move away from manual processes with all deliberate speed. "The greatest risk is for companies that rely on manual processes," says Shan Haq, vice president of corporate strategy and development with Transcepta. "These organizations just won’t have the internal cost structure or access to data to be competitive. Not only will this hurt their decision-making capabilities and their ability to rapidly pivot in fluctuating markets, but it will also make it harder for them to attract and retain top talent.”