COVID-19: Considering impacts to employees and the workplace

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

The current global pandemic is a socio-economic crisis and a very emotional event that caught most businesses, globally and locally, unaware in terms of moving rapidly from a traditional corporate structure to a mostly remote workforce arrangement at best. At worst, companies have to consider their sustainability, making difficult and business-changing decisions in an unpredictable and fast-moving environment. It has become clear that the impact from the pandemic will not be short-term, but will affect countries for the years to come, changing economic development and social cohesion (Orchard, 2020). There is no aspect of life that will not be impacted in one form or another. For companies, this constant state of uncertainty and crisis management place pressure on the organisational system, impacting decisions of business strategy to people management. There is a need to balance the pressure from shareholders and those of employees; in a pandemic, which pressure takes precedence? What options exist for companies to manage the pandemic with an eye on longevity and survival? And, what opportunities exist in a ‘forced change’ workplace environment that may change the way companies operate from now on?