Rethinking Business Through and Beyond a Pandemic

As the world faces the global coronavirus pandemic and life as we know it changes literally overnight, businesses are scrambling to find ways to keep the lights on. Manufacturing companies will certainly take a hit—as some already have—because most of their workers must be physically present to complete their jobs. But companies with workforces that can conduct daily business remotely are not just asking, but instructing employees to work from home (WFH) until further notice.

The WFH edicts, though, come with their own issues. Many businesses find themselves being thrust into undergoing corporate changes in a matter of days—sometimes even overnight—that would otherwise take months or even a year of planning to ensure a smooth transition. Adding to the difficulty, many of these workers have never before worked remotely, and a lot of the companies now embracing the WFH trend don’t have the technology infrastructure in place to support this sudden shift. They must procure and install new technology and tools, roll them out to their workforces, and then expect instantaneous productivity from their newly remote workforces.

In the rush to transition, something is apt to be overlooked, and in this case it is likely to be a very key step: continuing to train workers so they receive the benefits of the traditional, in-person interactions without the “in person” part. This issue also raises a number of questions: How can that happen at scale, across an entire workforce, all at once? How can we change the workplace to become 100 percent digital as quickly as possible? And what will be the new normal once people experience this?

It starts with taking immediate steps to instill confidence in the newly mobilized workforces that they’re adequately prepared to do at home the same work they’re used to doing in an office setting. Sound daunting to switch nearly 50,000 users from in-person classrooms to virtual learning in the course of 48 hours? A BigSpring customer found that to be no problem with our mobile-first training solution. Another customer, a 100-year-old industrial goods company recently onboarded its entire sales team and all of its distributors—literally the company’s first foray into digital engagement with channel partners—and now finds itself with a competitive advantage in these uncertain times.

These are just two of many examples of how BigSpring’s customers are turning the current upheaval in how the world is doing business to their advantage. For more information on how you can join them in easing the transition, go to www.bigspring.io.

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