5 tips to prepare your organization for (re)opening for business in a ‘corona conscious’ world.

By: Y van Vliet 07-05-2020

Categories:Recruitment,

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It doesn’t take much more than opening any random news website to be told that the world around us has changed for good. In a society where social distancing is the new norm, organizations need to adapt in order to provide a safe (work) space for clients and employees. Both equally important to make a successful new start.

But what is it that you can do exactly to make a difference? We created a checklist for 5 important questions you can ask yourself to get clarity on your business priorities.

Are you currently employing the right people?

Of course, this question is important at any given time, but especially now you want to clarify what specific skills your organization needs to rise stronger out of this crisis situation. Think about skills like an entrepreneurial mindset, innovative thinking, positivity, and leadership. These are skills that can have a very direct impact on the atmosphere in your organization and the results that you are aiming to achieve. Especially in uncertain times, positivity is important. Once there is a negative vibe going on, it can give customers and employees a wrong impression.

Especially now, personal character skills might be even more important than somebody’s employment history.

In addition to looking at personal skills, it might also be beneficial to look at the commutes of your retail teams. It can be of great advantage to have people less dependent on travel with public transport and work closer to home. Besides the fact that people will be less inclined to step into a busy train, it might not even be an option for the period ahead. Do your key team members have easy access to their store?

Who might be up for internal promotion and what skills do you currently lack?

It’s self-explanatory that looking inside your organization first for potential promotions has direct benefits. Current staff members that get promoted can hit the ground running in most cases. Saving you from a long onboarding period.
If there are specific skills that your organization is currently lacking, we are there to keep an eye out on the market to see which (new) talents might be a good match for your organization. Therefore it can be in your interest to keep us in the loop of organizational developments and new strategies so that we can keep our eyes open for you (on a no-cure-no-pay basis). 

How can I be smart about attracting talent we really need.

In today’s world, not all career decisions are based on money. Often candidates are looking for opportunities that include self-development and purpose. An extra incentive for switching careers will be a positive atmosphere, especially when we are surrounded by uncertainty. If you spend time and effort on employer branding, now is the time to benefit from these efforts and to make sure you protect or even strengthen your image.

How is your ‘online strategy’?

The current pandemic has made it even more clear how important a well functioning online business (and presence) is. Organizations with a strong online operation certainly have a bigger chance of winning. If you have the capital, now is the time to invest it in strengthening your online presence, if you haven’t done so already. This includes, but is not limited to a well functioning webshop. It also means that you keep building a relationship with your customer through available online channels like Social Media or email marketing.

Do your employees have everything they need to excel while working remotely?

We have often written about the importance of offering flexible/remote working options as an extra incentive to attract talent. These days it’s no longer an incentive, it’s a must! Do all of your HQ employees have access to a laptop or a cell phone? Often people in supporting roles don’t, which makes it more difficult to execute the work profoundly. Make sure that there are video conferencing tools available, as well as digital project management tools so that teams can stay in touch.

Have faith!

It may not sound like something significant, but it is. Have faith that the people who now work remotely don’t slack off, but do their best to do their jobs well. It is also in their benefit to keep working on increased results. Have faith that even with social distancing it is still possible to offer a great shopping experience. And most of all, trust that you are of value to your customers and that they will find their way back to your brand or organization. Especially if you show that you care about their safety and work on a positive shopping experience. Trust that we will come out of this situation stronger! And of course, we’d love to be of help when the opportunity arises.

Do you have questions or need our help? Let us know!