Panelists:

• Mr. Joseph Ampofo – Managing Director (Enterprise Trustees)
• Ms. Makoma Lusenga – HR Development and Talent Management Specialist (Independent Communication Authority of South Africa (ICASA))
• Mr. Jefferson Seneadza – Founder and Chief Executive Officer (Aftownmusic)

WORKPLACE EVOLUTION

Ms. Makoma Lusenga observed that COVID-19 brought about changes in practices and strategies of most organizations. These changes include improved communication within organizations, remote working and improved employee wellbeing. Ms. Lusenga said, “…these were the changes that we were expecting for the longest possible time but we never got to actually make it happen.”

She emphasized that though working from home was under consideration for a long time it never was implemented. “But now COVID-19 has forced us to send people home but has worked stopped? No. Business still continues as people are working from home”, she added.

“We cannot shy away from the fact that COVID-19 has forced us to change and some of the changes need to be maintained,” she said.

BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN

Mr. Joseph Ampofo said business continuity plan (BCP) – a document that outlines the potential impact of dire situations on an organisation and response strategy – was somewhat neglected by some organisations but became relevant during COVID-19 crises. He indicated that BCP did not only help businesses to recover quickly after unanticipated events but critical for a business’ success at all times. 

He therefore advised organisations to take advantage of the opportunity presented by COVID-19 and “dust off” their business continuity plans to withstand challenging times and protect personnel and assets during and after an emergency.

“Every business leader must make sure that he/she has the BCP handy and peruse it often. Make sure your employees are also in the right frame of mind to withstand challenging situations,” he said.

TECHNOLOGY

Mr. Jefferson Seneadza believed that the outbreak of COVID-19 vividly projected that technology was indispensable.

According to him, COVID-19 pandemic nearly stalled business operations but for technology, people were able to work remotely and delivered good results.

“We realised that we did not really have to be together in an office before we could make progress. With the help of technology, we were able to undertake various tasks, monitor and assess work progress,” he said.

Mr. Seneadza therefore encouraged managers to embrace this change and thrive adding “technology is the future and it is going to solve a lot of problem”.

For more information, please use the link below to access the full document and polls