Many of us are thinking now, “now, what do I do?” It is a hard question when looking at the perceived end of many shutdowns and whether we are able to open doors again. Some businesses may be looking at a new angle on how to run their business. Now is a perfect time to really look at your business model; what is essential and what is a luxury in keeping my business, and no, I’m not talking about who is essential and who is not. Why? Because, as a small business, all of your employees are essential.
We need to look at many factors while rebuilding and continuing our businesses, but we can’t do it all at once. Forbes.com recently published an article relating to the next steps we should take in rebuilding after COVID-19 and stated, “You may have several things you need or want to do to recover following COVID-19, but doing everything at once may not be realistic. What can help is having a timeline to follow that prioritizes your most important actions first” (Forbes.com, 2020).
Timelines and project management are what help keep us on task, and above water during harder times. I have used a particular project management software for many years now, and it has helped me when I was managing thousand-dollar projects to large multi-million-dollar projects. Establishing a timeline and discovering the critical path can determine whether a business stays open, or closes.
Performing a S.W.O.T. analysis and job analysis is vital in times of change, and this is a time of change. Many employees worked virtually; can they still? Would this be an overhead cost reduction? Could you establish policies or procedures that would continue efficient workflow while working at a distance? Many companies may say, “no, my company is not a virtual business.” The question then becomes, “is there any aspect of my company or a job that can be virtual?”
A simple job analysis comparing what previous policies and procedures were in place before COVID-19 and what is currently being done. What areas have suffered in the wake of this challenging time? What has stayed the same? Is there any area that has improved? While we are in business survival mode, it is important to continue to look at where we can become more efficient and what areas may need more attention or funding from your budget. Many colleges are looking into remote positions, saving overhead costs, and some businesses are looking at virtual meetings, training, and conferences as well as remote employees. Other areas that are being looked at are workloads, and equal responsibilities.
This crisis also has given us a chance to test our systems and be better prepared if another crisis occurs. Look at your job analysis of what has happened during this time. Conduct the S.W.O.T. analysis, but look at it with a crisis aversion perspective. Use it as a risk management plan. A vital survival tactic in business is risk mitigation. We all take necessary risks as business owners, but that doesn’t mean we don’t prepare for unsavory outcomes.
Lastly, and more importantly, don’t give up. We can do this. Listen to your customers. Listen to your employees. Find what they need and fulfill that need.
A simple job analysis comparing what previous policies and procedures were in place before COVID-19 and what is currently being done. What areas have suffered in the wake of this challenging time? What has stayed the same? Is there any area that has improved? While we are in business survival mode, it is important to continue to look at where we can become more efficient and what areas may need more attention or funding from your budget. Many colleges are looking into remote positions, saving overhead costs, and some businesses are looking at virtual meetings, training, and conferences as well as remote employees. Other areas that are being looked at are workloads and equal responsibilities.
If you need any help during these times or want to know more about Job Analysis, Project Management, or timeline development, please let us know. We are here for you. Schedule a time to talk.