If you have managed to steer your business through the successive storms that have battered the marketplace since March 2020, then you have demonstrated remarkable levels of stamina, determination, and flexibility.
Business. Credit: ESB Professional / Shutterstock
Credit: ESB Professional / Shutterstock
Since the start of the pandemic, every business has had to find a way to walk the tightrope between holding fast and waiting for things to improve, and moving quickly to avoid disaster and take advantage of new opportunities.
It has been a challenge that most businesses simply were not able to meet, due to luck, timing, resources, leadership, or a perfect storm of all of the above.
The summer was supposed to be something of a reset for businesses. We had all hoped that we would find our way back to the old normal as the weather improved. Restrictions rolled back, entertainment venues reopened, and we saw our friends and loved ones again. But even as people went on holiday and businesses reopened, there were plenty of signs that we were not out of the woods yet.
The Delta variant caused havoc with lockdown lifting everywhere from the United States to Australia. In non-pandemic related news, Brexit was the reason for a string of issues in the UK and Europe. We also saw the startling impact that climate change is continuing to have on our planet and the importance of creating a working strategy to reverse it now.
In short, we know that there are plenty more challenges to be faced this winter, whether they are linked to COVID-19 or not. Here are some of the most important issues that you need to be aware of, and how you can face them.
There May Be Another Coronavirus Surge
Every time there is a little bit of good news relating to the pandemic, we hear words of caution from scientists and experts that things are far from over yet and we all need to be prepared for more cases to come.
The US has been forced to face some difficult questions on this subject already over the summer, and experts in the UK are worried about how the nation will fare in the autumn as children return to school.
The chances are good that we will see another surge as the temperatures drop, the weather worsens, and flu season begins. If you want to make sure that your business is ready for this, look back on how you managed to cope through the pandemic so far and ask yourself how you can bolster your defences.
Would saying goodbye to working in the office give you some much-needed flexibility, for example? Could you work on your website and social media presence to continue the pivot to online?
The Political Landscape Is Uneasy
You don’t need a pandemic to cause tension and instability, but a pandemic certainly doesn’t lessen them. Looking at Europe over the last couple of years, we have already seen how Brexit has caused a lot of tension between Great Britain and the European Union member states.
It is likely that these will continue as the true impact of Brexit continues to make itself felt in the UK. But it goes beyond that. We are seeing the rise of populist governments.
The Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan and the disagreement on the US and UK’s evacuation strategy in recent weeks. This is only the latest example of how the divisions between allies can be deepened. Business leaders need to understand that socio-political uncertainty will have an impact beyond politics, it always finds its way to the marketplace.
If you want to get a better understanding of the issues that we will be facing in the months ahead, then international relations courses could be a real help. You will learn how to interpret and plan for changes in international affairs and find the opportunities within them.
Security Is Still A Major Concern
It did not take long for criminals to find opportunities in the pandemic. Over the last eighteen months, we have seen reports of cybercrime activity of all shapes and sizes around the world, targeting massive corporations and vulnerable individuals. From postage scams to full-blown ransomware attacks, we have all been given a startling lesson in just how vulnerable so much of our information and our finances are.
For far too long, businesses have coasted by doing the bare minimum when it came to security. They would find the cheapest (or even the free) option and trust their employees not to open any suspicious emails. Now, we all need to be thinking about what steps can be taken to make sure that we are protected. Talk to a professional IT firm about what specific security needs your business has and talk to your employees about the measures that they all need to be taking at home and at work.
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