Are you as productive during this Pandemic as before the lockdown? Is the productivity of your business and its key executives, as measured by profitability, and most importantly job satisfaction, growing during lockdown? Most probably those companies and workers, who can answer these questions in the affirmative, have a robust online and logistics oriented company. We have all witnessed the demise of high street enterprises and the explosive growth of the Internet oriented marketing companies such as Amazon, Ebay, Asos etc. The major stockholder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, has grown to be the wealthiest person in the world during the pandemic and decided to retire at 57. Clearly some businesses are flourishing during the lockdown.
The challenge for most business leaders is clear; return to, or preferably exceed, pre-Pandemic levels of productivity and profitability. As we endeavour to balance the pressures and stress of more time at home, coupled with less personal contact, the ability to maintain rapport is critical. Rapport is defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as, “a good understanding of someone and an ability to communicate well with them:” easier to define than to realise.
Our founder of Whitespace, Karren Brooks says, “Rapport is the key to communication.” The methodology developed at Whitespace has analysed business communication and ranked the various ways we have been forced to connect with our family, friends and clients as follows.
- Ranked from-Most Desirable and Productive to –>Least Desirable with less Rapport.
- Face to Face–>Video-Conferencing–>Phone Conversation–>Text/Direct Message–>Email.
While face to face meetings are prohibited during lockdowns and may resume in the near future, the fear of infection and social distance with masks may continue to inhibit the rapport so necessary for productive relationships.
The “new normal” is constantly changing as protocols and connection methods chaotically inhibit our productivity. We offer the following suggestions which require discipline but will increase your communication and focus. Attempt to schedule blocks of time for three main activities each day…
- Family meals
- Exercise
- Video conferencing with colleagues and clients
It is the lack of scheduling from family members who previously left to attend work and school in pre-pandemic times, which increases the chaotic and less productive interruptions in our new office from home. Some schedules may be forced on us as we attend business conference calls and electronic interruptions from personal requirements of family and friends. Most of us miss the normality of work hours and weekly meetings for planning and strategy. Whitespace urges you to begin with at least one daily scheduled event; maybe a morning walk or a family dinner. The comfort of planning rather than reacting will decrease your stress and increase your productivity.
If your business could benefit from a Whitespace pandemic productivity program, we would be pleased to schedule a video conference at your convenience. Turn the pandemonium into productivity with a proposal today.
