Five ways to adapt to the new normal

In this article: When the lockdown ends business will restart, but the world we operate in could be quite different, Calibre Group’s Sabina Hegarty looks at how we should adapt our approach to the new normal

There’s no ignoring it, life has changed and as we move forward it could change further still as we slowly look to what things will be like as we come out of the lockdown and into the new normal. Here’s five things to think about…

Remain positive

Change is always unsettling and can often be difficult to accept especially given the uncertainty of current times. But we should take the time to look at the positives that have come out of this situation.

Community spirit has improved and some old-fashioned values such as helping our neighbours and kindness have suddenly become fashionable again. Hobbies such as gardening, reading, talking, listening and exercise have been taken up or re-started. We’ve begun appreciating our key workers in a way we’ve never done before with the 800,000 NHS volunteers a testament to this.

Be ready to evolve

Once we hear that business will resume, we need to get our work heads in gear very quickly, mentally preparing to leave our homes, behave safely and responsibly and get back into the disciplines of working in order to get our economy back on track.

Technology is inevitably going to play an even bigger part in our lives, as part of an industry with some of the most advanced technology on the planet its people, therefore, need to prepare to utilise everything at their disposal to do their jobs efficiently and effectively in order to remain competitive.

Video conferencing is here to stay and will take the place of many physical meetings, savings huge amounts of time and money. Working from home will increase, improving our work-life balance and employee happiness as well as increasing productivity. Digitising our departments will further increase efficiencies to meet the new needs of customers and the changing marketplace. Let’s get ready.

Update your skillset

People have access to a huge range of free online courses to help them improve, enhance or acquire new skills. Digital capabilities will play a big part in the workplace of the future for both new and existing personnel, therefore if video meetings are ‘not your thing’, then it’s a good time to get comfortable in front of the camera and do some practice on your remote communication skills as it’s not going away.

The most forward-thinking employers are already exploring different ways to bring valuable skills to their workforce in a safe but enjoyable way. Training will now change as exciting new approaches are taken by providers up and down the country.

Think on your feet

We can’t remain stuck in a rut and complain that we didn’t do it like this before and don’t want to change. There will be plenty of creative people and companies with new ideas chasing jobs and market share who are happy to work with the ‘new different’ and will overtake any inflexible workforce.

For organisations, they not only need to adapt to new ways of business but they must also put robust mechanisms in place to ensure the physical and mental wellness of their employees.

Embrace the new ‘different’

The changes coming can offer us all opportunities to get involved, not just the select few. We can all educate ourselves and be flexible in our thinking, so that we too can make the most of the times ahead of us.

In order to make this shift, we should honestly look at our skills set and actively pursue ways of improving our chances of success in the times ahead. A quick SWOT (Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats) analysis will highlight your ‘areas of hidden potential’.

Much will depend on how things develop in the coming months, but in any event we need to be ready to adapt, be flexible and be prepared to learn new things that we didn’t think would necessarily be needed or even invented until this point.

So, what will you do differently and what steps can you take to make that happen?

Calibre Group design and deliver Digital Training for Sales, Service and Finance modules to the automotive sector, with EQ and mental well-being an integral part of all its programmes.

For the latest information, advice and support please visit the IMI’s dedicated COVID-19 pages