Lockdown & Social Distancing:
An organisational challenge to tackle covid-19
Pandēmos means all people of this beautiful world now have one common outbreak of a disease affecting an exceptionally high proportion of the population i.e., CoronaVirus 2019. As it’s gearing up from epidemic to pandemic we are becoming ‘rabbit’ to ‘turtle’. COVID-19 has proved that a small issue can change into a big and worse one. This has changed the world rapidly and radically by forcing the whole of mankind to the path of destruction. It proves that each existence sustains a vigour of demolition with the power of genesis. Every organisation is facing it.
The outcome of this COVID-19 is total lockdown of the affected countries as well as India which had gotten a judgement of stay at home. And in this situation, one of the worst sufferers are the rising organisations.
Under these circumstances, all we need to do is keep patience and control over our nerves to stand against this pandemic situation and accept the challenge. Our employees from different corners work from home. Taking the challenge to give the best for their organisation. We have taken the required steps that can be helpful for society and for us.
We know that social distancing measures can pull down COVID-19 cases. In the coming next two or three weeks, we can see the result of physical distancing. Although it has a deep impact on the organisational system. We are habituated with business travel and in-person meetings. Although it has a good side to build a relationship, bonding and also to run the organisations smoothly, we are now realising that we can do it remotely through Skype, Hangout, Zoom. Yes, obviously there are many issues with time management. What is the solution? As our Tech Director, Arjav Dave, says “We will do a Stand Up meeting everyday at 11 am at Hangout and will discuss how’s going on about our surroundings first and then about the rest”. We use these 5–10 minutes as our gossip time until all are there. In that, we also relax and as this video meeting is eco-friendly (compared to standard practices) so our mother nature will be very happy in that. When your employees are working remotely, all of them won’t take a particular break time like in the office but we are pretty responsible towards our job too. We inform in the group when we are going for lunch and tea break, it helps management to track work timings also.
“If you can push through that feeling of taking a risk, really amazing things can happen.”
- Marissa Mayer (President and CEO, Yahoo!)
At the office, we are trying to feel like a home environment but when we are actually at home it feels bitter. LOL!!! Flexible working time has a bad impact on every individual and for many organisations too. There becomes a tendency to work more hours and for this may increase organisational cost also.
“If you want to improve the organisation, you have to improve yourself and the organisation gets pulled up with you.”
- Indra Nooyi (Chairperson and CEO, PepsiCo)
At this crucial time working from home is a necessity. Many issues like communication problem, technical problems are cropping up. People are becoming frustrated, anxious and missing office gossip and weekend lunch out. Not to worry we found out one solution for that, we are sharing weekend special dish images to feel we are not de-touch, to enhance photography skill also. One organisation should feel their employees relax too being by their side to feel we all are the same, we are all together to tackle this pandemic situation. Doing some activity like Typing competition, Kahoot game challenges, Weekly online Chess, 8 Ball Pool will make us relax, energetic and innovative.
For the general public we recommend to:
- Go early to bed and rise early.
- Be physically and mentally fit. Do Yoga, Meditation, Freehand exercise and get ready to take challenges.
- Avoid watching, reading, or listening to news that causes you to feel anxious or distressed during the day.
- Take care and protect yourself and loved ones.
- Have a healthy and tasty dinner and take a tight sleep.
For the Professional practice we recommend:
- Set up your room like your own office, set the tune of the Music System.
- Make a task sheet and prioritise them. Try to complete the complex task first.
- Can divide the task into three parts: To Do, Doing and Completed.
- Don’t sit the whole day, walk in between.
- Update the task sheet end of the day so that you can plan for the next day.
How to work amidst distraction?
When you are working from home and you have families with you then it’s tough to avoid distractions from Door Bell, Kids, and other family members. Distractions may come in many ways. For that we can choose a spare room for our own office. And also make sure that your family members are aware of your 10 am to 7 pm timings so that they don’t reach you for any household stuff.
As a newcomer in an organisation it’s hard to maintain the work-life balance. For that when we asked for to our co-founders, they shared their story:
- Focusing on managing project timelines.
- Work from home seems difficult at start but eventually we take it as “No time-constraint”; we don’t have to worry about when to start the work and we can extend after regular working hours too as we save commute time.
- Getting more time to discuss things with clients & partners.
- As long as the economy is sustaining it is important to deliver.
- Keeping teams motivated and afloat.
- Generally I don’t go to the gym but due to lockdown trying to do some stretches and endurance workout to get rid of laziness.
- Reading more articles and keeping upto date with fast changing tech ecosystem.
- Home-life managing during breaks.
After lots of problems we have to work remotely. It’s not very easy to work with maintaining social distance, we have to be more disciplined to tackle this situation. We will be used to it after a few days. Let’s face it!
“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.”
- Henry Ford (Founder, Ford Motor Company)
Last but not the least, in this pandemic situation thanks to all those employees who are working remotely to keep alive the Economy and those health workers who are fighting day and night to give us a beautiful life again. We definitely overcame this crucial time. We will meet again!
