Technology has made major advancements every time the world is under crisis. Development of nuclear technology during World War II and space technology during the cold war era are examples of this. The world is again facing the crisis with COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, giving another opportunity to the world for technological advancement in yet another direction.
Post COVID-19 world will be quite different, especially for businesses and their operations. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that there may be a chance that no vaccine might be found for COVID-19. This essentially implies that the virus is here to stay. Therefore, there is no choice for businesses to conduct their operations while maintaining the required hygiene and sanitary standards and enabling the practice of social distancing among its employees.
Office etiquette in India
The office etiquette in India is rather formal, especially in the formal sector. The concept of work from home is not very widely accepted. Therefore, employees working remotely are often subjected to lower pay, scrutiny towards their work and increased workload.
The informal sector in India consists of small shop owners as well as some service providers, who are not tech-savvy, and therefore conduct the majority of their operations manually.
Expected Office Etiquette in the Post COVID-19 World
The world was slowly but surely moving towards a more informal work etiquette. However, with COVID-19 outbreak, the process has become faster. Work from Home is normalized in the companies. In fact, many business companies including Twitter, Facebook and Google have already announced that they will let most of their employees to work remotely. This trend is likely to be copied by many more companies, giving rise and power to the gig economy.
Technology Bridging the Gaps
Technology has filled in the gap caused due to COVID-19 outbreak and the resulting safety measures including lockdowns, isolation and social distancing. Offices are now moving to applications such as Zoom to connect with colleagues in video conferencing, allowing the business to conduct their operations efficiently.
Education institutions have moved to online teaching to students, allowing them a chance to use their time at home productively and also continuing with their lessons so that they do not lose out on time in their careers.
People are relying heavily on apps such as Reliance Smart and DMART ready to avail home delivery service while purchasing essential goods. This has inspired the informal sector shop owners to use Whatsapp and Telegram to build their markets online and sell their products in that manner.
The changes are not heavily concrete. However, with people wanting to be more cautious, there is little choice for businesses to switch to methods that facilitate ‘contactless’ or at least ‘less-contact’ engagements with their customers. This will require deeper penetration of smartphones and the internet in the world. Additionally, education on the usage of technology and artificial intelligence will need to be spread in order to achieve inclusive development and growth.
Risks in the New Business Order
With the majority of work moving online, there will be an increased risk of maintaining cybersecurity and data privacy. In order to contain these risks, it will be important for the government and businesses to frame sound policies regarding these matters and switch to data localization to protect the rights of individuals.
Businesses, in order to sustain, will need to change the way they work in complete senses. Failing to do so will push them away from the market, making space for the new and changed enterprises that have adapted to these changes.
