In the early months of 2020, the world was engulfed by a coronavirus pandemic.When you consider where we are now, and COVID is still the talk of the town, writing that sounds strange. Several events occurred – and continue to occur – during the ongoing pandemic. COVID Adaptations Your Business Should Implement Full-Time can be found here.
It meant that changes had to be made in the business world. These changes were imposed, and many businesses were forced to do things they had never done before. A lot of the changes we made were scrapped when the world started opening up and companies could go back to how they operated before. Several of the changes we made were abandoned. They only served one purpose: to assist your company in surviving the worst of the pandemic.
Certain Covid adaptations, on the other hand, are so good that they should be used full-time. Over the last two years, you've all experienced something new in your business, and you've all noticed that certain things genuinely improve your company. You had no choice but to adapt due to the pandemic, but perhaps you should keep some of your covid adaptations for good?
Let's take a look at some of the most important business practises that should be maintained:
Flexible working
In the spring of 2020, working from home became the norm. Since then, many businesses have reverted to their pre-COVID operations. Many people, however, have discovered that this way of working is actually beneficial. As a result, they've made flexible working a part of their daily routine. Employees have the option of working from home full-time or working fewer days per week in the office.
It opens the possibility of downsizing for your company, saving you a lot of money on office maintenance costs. In some cases, you may be able to operate entirely from home, eliminating the need for an office. Of course, one of the most important advantages of flexible working is that it allows employees to work more efficiently. They can find a working style and setup that makes them more productive and efficient, boosting job satisfaction, lowering turnover rates, and generally improving your company.
Video meetings/interviews
Because of the pandemic, you had to do everything online, whether you were meeting with a client, an employee, or a potential candidate. Then there were Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and any other video conferencing platforms. Every company on the planet was holding online video meetings all of a sudden.
With time, you may have realised that this is a more efficient way of conducting meetings. You won't waste time commuting to a different location, and you won't be late because of traffic or public transportation. Because these meetings are easier to schedule, they take up less time in your day.
As a result, keeping video meetings or interviews as a standard practise in your company can be extremely beneficial. Alternatively, as we saw throughout the pandemic, another approach to meetings is to cancel them. Regular meetings are being phased out in favour of email updates in an increasing number of businesses. For some, this may be a better approach because you will spend less time holding meetings each week/day and will be able to focus on your team's tasks.
Electronic signatures
How were you supposed to get signatures on important contracts or documents in a world where you couldn't meet clients face to face? It's not just about clients; what about new employees who need to sign their employment contracts? As a means of adapting to the current climate, many businesses have begun to use electronic signature software.
You could email a document to someone and they could use a digital signature to sign it securely. This can be accomplished using a variety of technologies; some simply require them to type their name, while others require them to draw a signature. In either case, it provides a very secure and safe method of digitally signing documents.
Although you may now be able to meet people face to face, does this mean you should abandon this technology? In reality, it's something that should be in place all of the time. If you don't have time to meet with clients in person, video meetings are a good alternative. Regardless, digital signatures are superior to physical signatures in terms of security and efficiency.
All you need to do is send an email, and you can have a document signed in minutes. With the traditional method, you must schedule a meeting and have everything signed – or you must mail a contract and wait for it to be returned to you. Because both methods take time, the digital method may be the best option.
Team bonding nights
For most of us, 2020 was the most difficult year. The beginning and end of 2021 were difficult, but we did have a few months where things felt similar to how they were in 2019. Certainly, the year 2021 was not nearly as disastrous for businesses. Yes, you were allowed to close for a few days here and there, but you were allowed to stay open for the majority of the year. Plus, we'd already been dealing with the pandemic for a year at that point. This was all new to us in 2020, and we had no idea how to react.
As a result, employee morale had plummeted to new lows. Your employees were most likely concerned about losing their jobs, and many of them may have been left alone at home. So, like the majority of businesses, you decided to do something to cheer them up. As a result, almost every business held Zoom quizzes at least once a week or once a month.
Now, you don't have to keep doing these – many of you will be relieved – but the concept of a team bonding night should be implemented on a regular basis. Once a week is probably too much, but every month set aside a day for your team to relax and bond by doing something fun. You'll notice that it has a positive impact on morale and productivity.
Conclusion:
In 2022 and beyond, some COVID-related initiatives appear to be on the horizon. Even after the pandemic has passed, these precautions should be followed. Why? Because they benefit your e-signature business and allow you to generate online signatures you were previously unaware of. You had to adapt due to the pandemic, but the benefits will last for years.
