Insights
Saxton Bampfylde: Leading through COVID-19 - 8 Key Learnings so Far
Over the past month, organisations will have required HR Directors, and executive colleagues to have responded to a variety of new challenges. COVID-19’s indiscriminate reach across all sectors and geographies, combined with its impact across all elements of our work and daily lives, means that we are in challenging and uncharted waters.
As we settle into new routines and ways of working, having moved through the initial survival and response wave, Saxton Bampfylde takes a moment to share learning and intel gained so far through a series of HR leadership discussions.
1. Develop fast
Communicate early. There is a premium placed on speed of communication and decision making: in these uncertain times employees are keen to understand how their business will respond. And specifically in the short term, what policies and initiatives will be offered in response to a variety of new challenges, ranging from critical workers to personal caring responsibilities, and from health and safety through to furlough policies.
2. Be agile and plan ahead
While we all crave certainty, the speed of change is such that initiatives and approaches need to be flexible enough to enable leaders to respond and adapt over short timelines. Planning against a 6-month timeline felt most appropriate.
3. Don’t reinvent the wheel
Take a moment to pause and review existing policies: while this is an unprecedented time, there will be many tried and tested responses that are fit for purpose. Where possible use business as usual policies and protocols.