Surviving to Thriving: It’s Time to Prepare for a New Normal

If I hear the phrase “unprecedented times” again, it’s possible that I may scream.  We are all reeling from the changes forced upon us by the current situation but as soon as you’re ready, it’s time to act to protect your business.

One thing that has come out of this is the need to for us all to do things differently going forward, we have a real chance to implement changes for the future.  On Point are collaborating closely with our colleagues at Delve to consider how we can support your business to prepare for a new normal.

Your business needs to come out of this crisis stronger than ever.   It’s not selfish to be thinking this way as it will bring security to your employees and the greater economy.  You have a real opportunity to review your current systems, practices and processes to prepare you for a different future.  In addition, you can consider how your business might thrive from your people working in new ways. How many people could in fact work productively and flexibly from home more often?  What would be the impact of this in terms of morale, loyalty and business costs?

Here are a few pointers to get you started:

It’s time for you to review all of your contracts and regular payments. Are you paying for anything that you don’t really need, can you afford to keep up the payments, are there any less expensive solutions out there which might provide the same value, or can you renegotiate with your existing provider?

How has your supply chain been able to support you? It’s worth checking out whether they could do anything differently to plug a gap that may have been left if you have had to furlough your people.  Are you rewarding the support which your suppliers provide?

Revisit your vision and purpose. Why does your business exist? Consider what processes are currently not being done as a result of all the changes, examine the impact of the processes, do they contribute to your purpose? Really challenge yourself as to what value they add, if they are needed, could they be improved?

What do you know about your supply chains? Take some time to start to map your supply chains to understand risks and opportunities within them, this will make your business more resilient and competitive as you start to develop the relationships which are really key to your business

Update your risk register and contingency plans! The strongest businesses are those with an action plan.

Consider the positive impact people working flexibly and virtually is having on your business? With less commuting and less face to face meetings, the chances are business is getting done more effectively and people are having the opportunity to work creatively, develop ideas and be less stressed with no commute or constant meetings.   Think about how you might measure the impact and keep people engaged in this new normal we find ourselves in.

We hope this brings you some insights in to making an action plan to move forward positively.  On Point Support and Solutions are here to support you with contract management, supply chain mapping, negotiation, sourcing support and process development, get in touch with [email protected].  For support developing a fresh approach to engaging your people in a different way get in touch with Delve at [email protected].

This blog was brought to you by guest blogger, Victoria Thompson from On Point.