BDO expert Joe Occhino explains how to manage your workforce in a crisis

The way companies treat their people in times of uncertainly will determine the type of organisation they have once normality returns, says a Brisbane workplace expert.

COVID-19 has sent organisations reeling. Some have stopped trading, some have pivoted to their business model, some are standing people down and others have had to let employees go. Then there are the organisations, who deliver our essential and critical services, such as transportation, health, utilities and education who have no option but to continue delivering – and require more staff!

No matter what industry or organisation you operate in, there is one certainty - your people matter. They are your most important asset in surviving and managing your business through this crisis; and overtime contribute to your recovery plans.

Workforce strategy – where to start?

Organisational continuity is dependent on having the right people, doing the right things, at the right time. The best place to start is to consider “what are the key services you need to continue to deliver so the organisation can remain viable?” Once you have identified, think about the people and teams that deliver these services, then within those teams, identify the key roles that are highly specialised and indispensable at this time. This would be those with skills where there is only a few people in the market can do that work.

Dr Joe Occhino from BDO. Picture: supplied

This becomes your organisations most critical workforce. Think of it as the bare minimum you need to ‘keep the lights on’ and help you respond so you can survive the COVID environment.

With your critical ‘COVID’ workforce decided, it’s now time to start developing the workforce strategy and initiatives for the short and long term.

Three areas to focus on now

1. For most organisations, the workforce strategy will be the same and the focus will be on increasing workforce availability.

2. Next comes the initiatives, these might include upskilling a junior person who has been identified as a successor if illness impacts a senior or more qualified employee. You could also identify a person who currently sits in the corporate area that once worked in the first line, who essentially knows the business ‘inside out’. In effect getting them back on the tools.

3. For highly specialised or technical roles it might mean identifying a recently retired employee who you might call back into your workforce. Think of it as building your bench. Effectively what you are doing by deploying these initiatives is increasing your workforce availability to step into critical roles across your organisation, in the likely event that percentage of your critical workforce comes unavailable due to illness. It will ensure that your organisation can continue delivering the services.

An opportunity to pivot your people

COVID-19 will undoubtedly produce a mindset shift in one’s attitudes to work and an organisations culture - it has already started. The largest opportunity for organisations is to lift their eyes to the future and determine their role (and position) in the new market. It’s going to be your people that will drive the execution and recovery.

The businesses that have a full understanding of the current capabilities in their workforce will be agile and nimble to repurpose those capabilities into new roles to meet new market challenges. Those looking ahead through the lens of their people will be the ones shaping and leading post-crisis. Business owners and company executives are feeling anxious about what will play out over the coming months, but at the same time are leaning on their people more than ever by asking them to take leave, pay cuts and reducing hours. Organisations need to remember that people matter. Throughout this period organisations have numerous opportunities to demonstrate and support their people. It will make people feel valued and that their contributions are recognised.

The way you treat their people in times of uncertainly is going determine what type of organisation you will have once normality returns.

Dr Joe Occhino is Associate Director, People Advisory, BDO