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For nearly two years life as we know it has been quite drastically different. Not only has it changed how we live our lives, but also how we do business. For any small business owner there have been a lot of things that have needed to change and be adapted, and there have been a lot of lessons to learn along the way.
In many instances, things have changed for the better in how we do business. Take restaurateurs, for example. They have had to adapt to offering a takeout or delivery service, even if they didn’t offer one before, in order to keep the business afloat and keep customers happy. This is something that has carried on for many restaurants, even after they have allowed customers back into their restaurants.
From adapting to how things work to stepping up the commercial cleaning of the office buildings, there are a number of things that businesses can learn from as a result of the pandemic. Here are some important lessons that businesses have learned as a result.
Encourage collaboration
With staff working from home and there being a number of challenges like trying to homeschool children at the same time, or dealing with sickness, collaboration has been needed more than ever. Employees might have had to work with colleagues that they normally wouldn’t as everyone adjusted to being more flexible and collaborative. For employers to encourage this collaboration it can help the business in new ways. This isn’t something that should be forgotten about just because we are getting back to some kind of normal.
Focus on a healthy work and life balance
One silver lining from the pandemic is that it has shown to everyone that there is life outside of the office. From families to caring duties, it has shown to everyone that there is more than just the job to do. Of course, it is an important thing to do in order for employees to be able to get paid, but by being more flexible with working and cutting out commutes, it offers a much healthier work and life balance for all. This is something that shouldn’t be forgotten, as employees have shown that they can still be productive from home, but it can help them to achieve more balance in their lives, which will make them better employees in the long term.
Staying true to business principles even if physical circumstances change
How people do business has changed, which can be a good thing. But a lesson to learn as people start to go back to the office more is that the business still has some principles to live by, such as collaboration, safety and creativity. Even if things are different in the office, or when working remotely, those principles should still be the driving force of the business to get the job done and help with the business growth.
When times are tough, it can be make or break. Luckily, by learning from what things have gone well, as well as seeing what others have done, it can help your business to carry on thriving as we navigate the current climate.
