Like many of us, RML has been reviewing a wide range of opinions on how the world of work might look in a post-Covid world. Lots of questions have emerged:

• will the productivity benefits of remote working, reported by many, be sustainable ?

• how will the challenge of assimilating new talent into a business be overcome when there is less opportunity for work practice observation / on-the-job training ?

• will flexible working necessitate a change from input (numbers of days worked) to output-(deliverables) based remuneration ?

• given the likelihood of on-going market volatility (at least for the foreseeable future), how will organisations prepare themselves to ensure that their strategies and associated actions are responsive to changes in market circumstances ?

• how will organisations go about engaging personnel in the design of strategies and plans to accommodate frequent review and refreshment requirements, and maintenance of strategic cohesion at all times ?

• how will prospects be engaged and nurtured if it becomes more difficult to secure the face time that it is often required to develop a trusting relationship ?

The above are just some of the questions that we have been reflecting on. No doubt readers of this will have many more.

In our opinion, a key characteristic of those that will cope best in addressing the many new challenges going forward will be agility. Organisations will need to act more quickly. The traditional approach of allowing the calendar to dictate (month-end, quarter-end, year-end) behaviour should no longer apply.

This will require more frequent assessment of performance and more rapid implementation of change where necessary.

There are likely many more. Our view is that whatever choices organisations make, they should do so with as complete an understanding as is possible of the likely associated implications. By so doing, any issues that might result from change can be identified and those impacted engaged in change decisions. In shorthand this translates to ask before you act.