The Coronavirus pandemic is an unprecedented event that has rocked the world. Livelihoods have been impacted and entire industries and business models have been upended.
With lockdown easing, we are entering a new, post-Covid-19 world, where life isn’t quite the same as it was before. Social distancing, remote working, and dialling into the office from the safety of home have become the norm.
For business leaders, they will need to know how to navigate this new landscape. Companies and brands that remain relevant and understand what their customers need will be the ones who build strong relationships with stakeholders.
There is a delicate balance that must be respected. ‘Off message’ themes that aren’t appropriate will be ignored and could potentially damage a brand and the relationship with its customers.
Here are 5 thought leadership topics we believe will be demanded by leaders in the immediate future:
1. Innovation
At RMS innovation is one of our core values. We strive to find new ways to overcome challenges and provide a better solution.
However, after a crisis such as Coronavirus, it is natural for companies to address short-term problems like cash flow. Survival is the number one priority, so innovation will appear to be ‘off message’ to many employees and clients. In fact, the opposite is true: innovation becomes even more important when times are tough. Developing a business idea, creating better products, and taking a more strategic approach will secure the future of a company by delivering bigger returns over the long term. Fortune favours the bold, not those who are indecisive and unwilling to be different.
Therefore, good business leaders will be looking at how they can be more innovative to secure future growth and stability.
“You can’t solve a problem on the same level that it was created. You have to rise above it to the next level”
– Albert Einstein.
2. Digital
A major topic of the last decade, digital transformation is set to remain relevant for the foreseeable future.
Companies that have already taken the initiative by focussing their efforts on digital transformation will be in a better position for the months ahead than those who haven’t. This will be especially evident in an extended period of societal upheaval i.e. remote working and social distancing.
In the short term, some companies may be more cautious in regard to transforming their digital processes, but not making any changes at all won’t be an option. Instead, there will be a strong focus on how to develop the digital aspects of a business to ensure success during these uncertain times.
3. Automation
Coronavirus has had a major impact on the UK economy, causing the unemployment rate to soar, and this situation will only worsen as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme begins to wind down. Therefore, concerns about the potential of automation to reduce the need for human workers seem insensitive during this period of job cuts.
However, interest in artificial intelligence and automation is unlikely to fade. These technologies will be utilised to drive improvements in operational efficiency during the coming economic difficulties.
4. Sustainability
Even in a post-Covid-19 world, interest in sustainability is unlikely to decrease, although concern for environmental issues does typically experience a downturn in a crisis. This is because companies tend to shift focus to their own immediate, fundamental problems.
Instead, interest in sustainability will broaden from the usual environmental and social concerns to encompass themes such as resilience, financial stability, and sustainable business models.
“The best way to predict the future is to create it”
– Peter Drucker.
5. Leadership
During times of crisis, there is always a greater focus on the topic of leadership. This is especially true now as companies aim to seek guidance and learn lessons from the pandemic. Many leaders, and their workforces, have undergone a challenging ordeal over the past few months, so interest in mindfulness and mental health will be prominent.
Other popular themes will include purpose-driven leadership, and the emphasis on a shift from a command-to-control model to a more networked approach.
In 2020, the business world has been completely transformed, and leaders will be challenged to ensure that their businesses remain strong and relevant in this altered landscape.
RMS is the country’s leading provider of retail services. Due to our focus on innovation, and nationwide workforce of skilled, flexible people, we are the partner of choice for some of the UK and Ireland’s best loved retail brands.
