While we have overcome many challenges, the lessons we learned from this period will help usher in a better tomorrow.
The COVID-19 pandemic is not over. People are still getting sick all over the world. Virus variants continue to emerge. And some areas are seeing new cases as they loosen masking, social distancing and business modification requirements. However, there is an increasingly brighter light at the end of the tunnel, as doctors find ways to treat those who get sick, infection trajectories have slowed from last year's peaks, and vaccines are distributed to millions of people. .
Another positive aspect of a very difficult year are the lessons that were learned as industries adapted to a “new normal” as the pandemic grew and are adjusting to a “next normal” as it recedes. . A well-known example is the use of Zoom for meetings, seminars and even conferences. While it may not be the ideal way to connect, professionals have learned that it can be a useful tool, even post-pandemic.
Many other lessons have been drawn from the workplace, as well as classrooms (think about how to keep 20 children busy online for hours at a time) and medical practices (how to provide care when caregivers are also getting sick). Here we explore some of the most important lessons and how they can be useful in the post-pandemic world.
To work
In the rush to follow social distancing guidelines at the start of the pandemic, many companies sent office workers home with instructions to open an office there. It may have started as a challenge as workers juggled work expectations and children involved in remote learning, but several employees have discovered the benefits of working from home.
Remote work works. Companies have seen their teams thrive under remote working conditions. Some have seen an increase in productivity and some are even making office space overhead and related expenses a thing of the past.
Contingency plans are critical. While no one could have predicted the COVID-19 pandemic, companies should consider other possible worst-case scenarios—such as natural disasters, cyberattacks , and power outages—and plan for them.
Open concept floor plans may not be the best floor plan. As companies strive to make workplaces more conducive to social distancing, open-concept floor plans may become a thing of the past.
The right technology is more of a need than a want. Apps that employees can use from anywhere, whether permanently or as an emergency measure, can ensure a seamless transition in case of future emergencies.
Empathy is an indispensable skill. As customer and employee challenges came to the fore last year, leaders and other team members got a crash course in putting themselves in others' shoes. Some companies are adding empathy to the top of job description skills lists.
The following video explains another lesson learned from the pandemic – how to deal with burnout in the workplace:
Education
Even in the best of times, teaching children is a challenge. Each child brings their own set of problems, sometimes supplies are limited and administrative demands can be onerous. The online component required during the pandemic has added another layer of difficulty for education professionals.
The teachers are incredible. In an already highly challenging profession, teachers have had to step up and deal with numerous changes to their schedules, locations and the way they perform their work.
Small groups are effective. Many teachers have found ways to incorporate small group learning into their online teaching strategies. For some, this action has been a necessary way to organize learning into manageable components.
Internet access is a necessity, not a luxury. Broadband access is still not available everywhere and children who don't have it are at a distinct disadvantage when classes are online. After the pandemic, they still require this access to do their work from home.
Challenging times call for better direction. Children are not always the best listeners and this is even more true in the case of online learning. Teachers have had to modify their instructions and the way they deliver them.
Online learning can work. Few teachers expected to have to teach online, but they adapted and found tools and methods to engage students over the past year. Sharing methods with colleagues helped them meet students' needs.
Health care
Not surprisingly , this health care field has undergone major changes and learned lessons from its pandemic experience – perhaps more than any other industry. From the front lines to the back office, these professionals have worked tirelessly to prevent illness and improve outcomes for those suffering from the virus.
More virtual healthcare options are needed. The pandemic has revealed how effective delivering healthcare online can be, especially for routine appointments or simple problems like common colds and rashes.
Digital infrastructure is needed to support it. The lack of stable Internet service limits patients' access to their healthcare providers. This includes telehealth visits as well as access to your medical records and other information stored online.
Compassion is critical. Because family members of many COVID-19 patients have not been allowed to see them, it is up to medical professionals to provide comfort and compassion, sometimes even in patients' final moments.
Caregivers also need care. When frontline medical professionals caring for COVID-19 patients experience burnout and mental exhaustion, it means fewer professionals are available. The lesson here is that medical professionals must take care of their own physical and mental health.
Preparation is essential. Like office workers, medical experts are using experience from the pandemic to develop and plan for worst-case scenarios.
Waiting anxiously
Many have spent the past year looking back at how things were before the pandemic. Back to busy streets, thriving shopping areas and crowded cinemas. Back to large family gatherings, concerts and sporting events. Back to hugs, handshakes and no masks. All these memories are valuable for understanding what the world we would like to return to is like.
We are now seeing signs of what we consider normal returning, including restaurants opening, small group gatherings permitted, and travel restrictions being lifted. And we're looking back at the pandemic itself. While we have overcome many challenges, the lessons we learned from this period will help usher in a better tomorrow.
