Covid-19 has changed how I do business more than I ever expected. It is obvious that the ramifications of Covid 19 have been far-reaching and significant to everyone. In many cases for many people, they have been traumatic, devastating and tragic for personal and business reasons.
I started a new business in March 2020, a week before Queensland went into lockdown. I started this business in a city where I was unknown so on top of Covid, I was starting a new business in a new city, where no one really knew me. All of this meant that I needed to establish a business during and post Covid, let alone grow a business. I am thrilled that the establishment has happened and that my business is indeed growing.
I have decided to work from home. The risks with Covid, now and unforeseen, assisted in my decision to avoid commercial premises, or employment of staff, at this stage. I realise that this has its pitfalls and is very different to my experience as a Director of a large regional practice with three offices and staff/resources at hand.
So how do I stay on top of it all? Well, I surround myself with a team of collaborators and experts, of different scale and experience, to allow me to provide high-quality services to my clients. Whatever happens, and in whatever shape my business is, it is the maintenance of my own self-instilled high standards, and exceeding client expectations, that drives me.
I have had to change the way that I work with my remote ‘team’ as well as processes associated with how I present and obtain information. I’m mindful of the additional clarity that I need with the information I issue or request. The time to prepare and receive information has increased, along with checking, and has placed more emphasis on project programming to ensure on-time delivery.
My social and personal health is a factor, as I don’t have the day-to-day physical interaction with staff. Phone calls and Zoom meetings now replace face-to-face discussions. I now meet at the premises of clients or consultants, or in local cafes.
Whilst I am not sure what the post-Covid ‘new norm’ will be, I love what I do and will embrace the changes required, to always give my business the best chance I can for success.
The dominant characteristic of pre-COVID workplaces were spaces to encourage proximity and relied on physical closeness to achieve the collaboration that drives creativity, innovation, speed and agility. High density workstations, café-like environments and shared meeting facilities now pose challenges for the post-COVID workplace as organisations strive to limit physical interactions.