Changing landscape

Today, COVID-19 has brought us all crumbling to our knees. It will be very difficult to pick up from where we left off. The operating landscapes of the various professional service companies has changed. They have re-invented their working platform. The legal eagles once against technology have now succumbed. The court of appeal has gone live! Companies have managed to keep up with some administrative duties and meetings have continued to take place. Zoom has become a household name and once working mummy's have become professional cooks taking away the true glory of the real sweatshop chefs. Being the most versatile mammal's we have learnt to adapt. How did we do this?

Clearly every invention to keep up with this pandemic is hooked up with the cyber world. Online shopping, online education, online meetings, online counselling, online healthcare, online legal advice, online yoga sessions, online entertainment and online socialising. Blessed indeed is mankind to have a luxury of being online. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in 98% of CEO's and leaders learning how to use technology. Spoilt indeed but that is the truth.

The whole Covid-19 pandemic has brought industries to a grinding halt. In six weeks the country has lost billions. I have spent a lot of time researching and discussing with clients and professionals on how they intended to crawl out of their social distancing. Every industry had a plan in place. It seems as if that was all they were doing from the start of the lock down. Planning a "release" plan. What was apparent to me though is the fear that these industries silently carried.

The whole COVID-19 pandemic has magnified some startling facts. That is the changing or rather changed the landscape of work culture. Is this pandemic truly a disaster or an opportunity? This is for one to reflect within? We must recognize that the leading age of millennial is turning 40 next year. These millennial's are not fixated on linear career path's. They all want a portfolio career. Companies must accommodate this flexibility and lifestyle or fear losing the talent. Staying the same is not an option. The pace of change is accelerating.

I do foresee criticism, skepticism and resistance from leaders and CEO's especially within the professional service industry. This resistance could be related to many different reasons which I am sure I will dissect in time to come. Changes are scary but it will happen it is inevitable. The current pandemic has just accelerated the speed. Therefore it is best for CEO's of the professional service industry to engineer these changes rather than to resist it completely or be complacent. A forthcoming mindset to adapting to the newer work landscape is important. After all in the midst of all this chaos and confusion we are creating innovation. All industries should have a change strategy to adapt to the different challenges ahead. We are working in a chaotic world in a chaotic phase.

Today, the COVID-19 pandemic is said to be a biological warfare. The defense used to sustain our economy is technology. Tomorrow, however the war may be different in nature. What happens if it is a cyber war? How will you change?