How is the COVID-19 Crisis affecting the functioning and objectives of a workplace?

1. HOW THE CURRENT HEALTH CRISIS (COVID19) WOULD IMPACT THE LONGER-TERM OBJECTIVES OF A MORE INCLUSIVE AND DIVERSE WORKPLACE? EVER SINCE THE SURFACE OF “CORONA VIRUS” ONE WORD HAS BEEN MAKING BUZZ IS  “UNPRECEDENTED”, TO DESCRIBE WHAT THE WORLD IS WITNESSING AND STILL BAFFLED AT THE STATE WE ARE IN. THE  VIRUS HAS ENFORCED A SHARPENED FOCUS ON WHAT IT MEANS TO BE INCLUSIVE, AND THOSE COMPANIES THAT HAVE ALREADY EMBEDDED A CULTURE OF INCLUSIVENESS WON’T ALTER THEIR AGENDA. THE VIRUS SITUATION WILL DEFINITELY POWER SOME TO RETHINK HOW EMPLOYEES ARE ENGAGED. WE ARE ALREADY WITNESSING THIS AS MANY ARE SHIFTING TO WORK REMOTELY. MANAGERS ARE BOUND TO VIGOROUSLY THINK ABOUT HOW THEY GOING TO ENGAGE WITH THEIR TEAMS WHEN THEY ARE NOT AT THE OFFICE AND AS WELL AS MAKING SURE THEIR PRESENCE HELPING THEM TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE CHALLENGES OF THE HOME AS WELL AS CARER’S OBLIGATIONS BESIDES WORK. I ANTICIPATE THAT THERE WILL BE GREATER ADMIRATION AND INDEBTEDNESS FROM EMPLOYERS AND THE LARGER COMMUNITY ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT VARIOUS MINORITIES CAN FACE REGARDING WORK-LIFE ASSIMILATION. THERE’S A NEED FOR EFFORTS IN THE FUTURE FOR MORE FLEXIBLE WAYS OF WORKING TO ACCOMMODATE A DIVERSE TALENT WORKFORCE.

2. THE TOP COMPANIES WILL STICK TO THEIR PRINCIPLES AND CONTINUE TO HIRE FOR THE NEEDS OF THEIR ORGANIZATION. THERE ARE DISCOVERIES HAPPENING AS TO HOW TO GET THE WORK EFFICIENTLY DONE VIA REMOTE WORKING AND ITS PAVING WAY FOR CONVERSATIONS HOW THINGS WILL SHAPE IN THE FUTURE IN THIS REGARD. ELIMINATING THE BARRIERS OF OFFICE SPACE, EMPLOYERS MAY FIND THEMSELVES ABLE TO RAP INTO DIVERSE TALENT POOLS WHICH CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE CURRENTLY UNDER-REPRESENTED IN THE WORKFORCE. THE CURRENT WORKING FROM HOME SCENARIO HAS HIGHLIGHTED MANY OF THE THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE OUTSIDE OF TRADITIONAL WORKSPACES PRIMARILY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO ON ANOTHER SIDE HAVE ENCOUNTERED ACCOMMODATION ISSUES.  HOWEVER, IF THE SCENE MOVES TO THE RECESSION, ADVERSELY AFFECTED WOULD BE THE MINORITIES. THEN AGAIN ORGANIZATIONS MUST BE CIRCUMSPECT ABOUT THEIR INVESTMENT MADE TOWARDS DIVERSITY & INCLUSIVENESS PROGRAMS. THERE ARE CHALLENGES FOR EVERYONE MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO THE PANDEMIC SCENARIO. PARENTS ARE STRUGGLING WITH BALANCING WORK AND TAKING CARE OF CHILDREN. SOME ARE DEALING WITH FAMILY MEMBERS CONTRACTING THE VIRUS AND OTHERS SUSCEPTIBLE TO FEAR AND ANXIETY ABOUT FALLING ILL. THIS SHOCKING EVENT MAY IN FACT HELP TO CREATE BETTER AWARENESS OF THE RISKS INVOLVED WITH QUARANTINING IN PLACE WHEN ONE FALLS ILL, WHEREBY CALLING FOR AN OPTIMISTIC FUTURE. IRRESPECTIVE OF THE PANDEMIC SCENARIO MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT AND CAREER PATH HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR MINORITIES FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW. THIS HEALTH CRISIS CHALLENGE SCENARIO IS BOUND TO WITNESS FORCED CHANGES ABOUT THE ENGAGEMENT OF A MORE DIVERSE TALENT WORKFORCE TO GET THE ORGANIZATIONS TO BE ROBUST AND COMPETITIVE. BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS ARE DISCOVERING THAT WORK CAN STILL HAPPEN EFFECTIVELY WITHOUT OFFICE SPACES WITH A SET TIMELINE EACH DAY. QUESTIONS ARE BEING DISCUSSED ABOUT THE REQUIREMENT AND NEED OF OFFICE REAL ESTATE IN THE FUTURE. THIS MAY ALSO HAVE THE HIRING MANAGERS THINKING OF POSSIBILITIES OF HOW THE ROLE CAN BE DONE DIFFERENTLY (BEING REMOTE/ PART-TIME). HOPEFULLY, COMPANIES WILL SEE A SHIFT IN WORK SENTIMENT AND BE ABLE TO REFOCUS FOR A CHALLENGE SPURT ALL OF A SUDDEN TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MINORITIES.