The challenges of 2020 have been something we could not have predicted. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced businesses and individuals alike to step away from normal life and adjust to restrictions set out by the government to slow the spread of the virus; changing the way in which we go about our day-to-day activities and communicate with one another.
For the business world this has quite clearly been a struggle, and sadly a number of businesses have been unable to continue. On the other hand, here at Zodeq we have seen a number of people break away from their current role, and take that big leap to establish their own business, a great sign of things to come.
So, what can we learn from the challenges of 2020? We take a look below:
A business continuation plan is essential
Businesses throughout the UK were required to close their doors and move to a remote working environment with very little notice back in March. For many, this meant a rush to get employees set up from home and working effectively at a moment’s notice, so that the business didn’t experience down time, which was simply not feasible for quite a few.
On the other hand, for businesses like Zodeq who had a business continuity plan in place, our transition to home working was seamless. As a result, it is vital that those businesses without one should prioritise their continuity plan for 2021.
Home working is a viable option
Whilst remote working had been growing in popularity in recent years, there were only a very small number of businesses offering it to their employees. But with lockdown and work from home orders forcing businesses to only operate on a remote basis, home working has quite literally become the predominant way in which businesses are operating.
Many businesses quickly saw the benefits of home working for their staff members (increased productivity, better work life balance, improved job satisfaction) and for the business itself (reduced overhead costs). As a result of this many have already made the decision to continue working remotely even as normality returns.
Having the right support is crucial
Ensuring you have the right business support is important at the best of times, but particularly this year, businesses have learnt that receiving support from experts can make a huge difference to the smooth running of a company.
With reduced workforces in place, back office tasks such as invoicing, credit control or payroll were limited and therefore outsourcing back office functions became a necessity, and one that has greatly benefited many throughout the pandemic.
One of the main takeaways from this year is that the business community is resilient. We have tackled the challenges that the pandemic has presented us head on, and many of us have continued providing services to our clients with very little downtime.
What has your business learnt during 2020? We’d love to hear from you on Twitter and LinkedIn.
