02/05/2020
EMPLOYEE EMPLOYERS CONCERN AMID & POST COVID-19 PANDEMIC
I feel the pain of employees and employers. I can understand the losses recorded already, the impact on the continuity of businesses and most critical the adverse effect it's going to add to employees and job seekers.
No doubt, Covid-19 pandemic has changed and changing the dynamics of business and world of work for employees. It's no longer going to be business as usual again whilst several organizations are now struggling to cope.
For employees in many organizations, this is a time of great uncertainty. COVID-19 is changing the way people work, with travel bans, selected business sector bans, remote work, and social distancing becoming the new norms. In many organizations, these new ways of working are raising questions and concerns.
Covid-19 lockdown has giving a lot of firms opportunity to experiment doing business and operating digitally and with new strategic approach, meaning some jobs are going to be cancled out whilst it has been predicted to see much more businesses and organizations embracing digital embedded business and operations presence - the outcome on the existing employees is projected to make some roles redundant and non essential leading to lost of jobs and new job creation.
Large part of organizations are faced with challenges now on coping with the new rules on business operations time in Nigeria especiallly Lagos (8:00am -3:00pm) whilst some sectors have been rendered irrelevant at this time; the dynamics of business has changed now. With this, it will eventually amount to employers introducing a strategy for pay-cut and retrenchment of workers.
No doubt, the tough time is here for employees and Nigerian economy itself as a whole is not looking healthy now with the current status of dwindling global oil market with a very low patronage of oil. This is definitely going to affect Nigerian budget and economy overall performance in the year 2020 with the effect to speaking volume on the masses. Meaning, recession is already here; need to readjust our spending lifestyles and be strategically prudent.
Nigeria as a country is not currently earning money from crude oil export whilst most employers too have lost and are in great lose now. These all together are definitely going to mount an in-depth pressure on employers and employees at large to change approach, reengineer and cascade their processes.
Believe me, as l speak now a lot of CEO's, MDs and business owners are compiling list of employees likely to be booted out; meaning jobs would definitely be lost whilst another one is created but only the very few get the opportunity. Agencies, ministries and even religion bodies are planning to cut down expenses, meaning some are definitely going to lose their jobs whilst some already handed termination letters to their employees. In spite of this, l still believe in grace but remember grace also recognize the positive character you have been exhibiting to people, your team and your employer before now.
As confirmed by International Labour Organization (ILO), about 25million employees are going to lose their jobs globally as a result of Covid-19 pandemic.
Who are those employees likely to lose their jobs? Who are those likely to remain on their jobs aftermath of Covid-19 pandemic? Who are those organisations likely to soar or sink in post Covid-19? Who are the emerging firms? All these questions connodes answers filled with in-depth insight.
In a situation like this, employees people management, Relationship, Attitude and Competencies capacity are going to be highly considered as yardstick for retaining and in the disbandment of some employees as key determinant factors for decision making.
Employees with less connection with his employers and supervisors and generally lack positive attitude before and during Covid-19 are likely to go. Employees with skills not aligned or relevant to the business are likely to go. It's now time for extra ordinary creativity, rebuilding and new learning for employees and professionals. It's now to be critically thinking far beyond now as more profession and roles are still going to be rendered obsolete very very soon...it's not a time to slumber or slow in doing what you ought to do now. Start thinking differently and acting differently now. Be bold to start what you have failed to start now, start creating new and innovating the existing one now. This is not the time for some employees to be nursing the mind of resigning whilst it is likely to be the best option for some. Employees now need to double their effort, commitment, dedication and connection with their employers and people to win and win with people in this time of crisis.
New jobs are to be created but may not be benefited by the majority but few employees... Meaning only the best of the best with proving aligned attitude and rare competencies of tomorrow are likely to be among the few beneficiaries.
It's certain several organizations and businesses are going to dwindle whilst some may crash in this time of crisis and some grow great. Some organizations who are too slow to embrace change of operations approach are likely to go down... It's now about thinking the future trends to generating ideas and executing them in less time.
I encourage employees and professionals to start rethinking on their mindset about entrepreneurship whilst several organizations are going to diversify, same is mostly require from employees and professionals now. Overrelying on a single career is no longer the order of this era but multiple careers whilst keeing learning new with key focus on gaining extra ordinary relevant competencies in can-do and can-act form.
In conclusion:
Organisation of the future now need to focus on creating not today but creating tomorrow (future) and embrace putting the right people in their vehicle to arrive safely at the right destination whilst winning big.
Managing the challenges of the crisis isn’t going to be easy. But, as we highlighted above, now is a defining moment for leaders especially the HR leaders throughout the organization. The only way to support your employees while ensuring the long-term success of your organization is to balance deep empathy with economic realities.
-19
Femi FORTUNE-IDOWU
Lead Principal, Fortbridge International
[email protected]
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