Brigantia’s Chris Speight writes…
I will not beat about the bush, the return to the office is something that worries me. I have been working from home for around three months which does not sound all that long, but it feels like a lifetime. The thought of having a room with several people in it feels alien to me now, and I am in no rush to go back to it.
So, what will work to make the office safe? There are two things that are needed: organisation and structure. It is all well and good to randomly throw in a few measures which might help, but it means close to nothing if it is not organised. It seems like it would be a daunting exercise to get everything correct and my blank whiteboard staring back at me seems to agree. Who needs to be involved, what roles are required, who should be responsible, for what and when? It would be useful if I had a starting point…
What I need is Plan4Continuity. It has many uses and comes with templates for numerous scenarios including how to reintroduce employees into the workplace safely following the relaxation of lockdown rules. For this task alone, it more than pays for itself in my opinion!
I must also ensure that my organisation can continue to function in what will prove to be a tricky new world given the grave financial forecasts. Doing this well is going to involve lots of contingency planning: For example, what if a couple of my key staff become ill and are suddenly unable to continue their roles for a while? Or some vital asset or service becomes unavailable? Times are going to get tough and we all need to be ready to deal them when they arrive.
Four years ago, Dave Lewis (Tesco’s Chief Executive) ran a management exercise which for all intents and purposes was to plan for doomsday scenarios. What would happen if Tesco’s head-office staff all had to work from home? How would the stores cope if there was a disease outbreak? What extra equipment would be needed? Naturally, a lot of people thought that this was completely over the top, a waste of time and resources for something which likely would never happen.
Then in March this year, it happened. Tesco had the plans and equipment in place, which is why it coped so much better than all the other supermarkets. Its staff and shoppers, even now, appear to be safer than many of its competitors. This is the strength of planning versus doing your best when the unexpected happens.
You do not need to be a massive business-like Tesco to make this work for you. You also do not need very expensive consultants to come out and do the job for you. This is the strength of Plan4Continuity.
Email partnersupport@brigantia.com or call Brigantia on 020 3358 0090 to find out how Plan4Continuity can safeguard both you and your clients.