As the Covid-19 pandemic transforms the economic and social landscape around the world, the way people live, work, learn and even play is changing radically. This week’s Biznews Lunchtime webinar is focusing on this very topic – Living with Radical Change, with Biznews editor-in-chief Alec Hogg hosting Tony Manning, South Africa’s leading business strategist and best-selling author; Suzanne Stevens, co-founder and executive director of the “Love Change” insurance business BrightRock; and former Google SA and now WeWork SA general manager, computer scientist and visionary Stafford Masie.
By Vanessa Marks
Covid-19 came unexpectedly, very few, if any saw this coming. Suddenly the place of work became a no-go area. Those businesses fortunate enough to continue to work remotely, sent their staff home with a laptop and everyone suddenly become a “Zoomer”. After five weeks, it has become clear that even when the virus is no longer a threat, the traditional way of working is gone, for good. Not only the methods, but where we work and the type of services and products we are offering.
BrightRock co-founder and executive director Suzanne Stevens said life insurance services have historically been static, but people’s lives change, “sometimes willingly and  sometimes forced on us, as we are seeing with Covid-19”.
“Not only should insurance companies be more flexible, but business in general needs to be customer-centric and ensure they adapt their offerings in accordance with the changing needs of society,” she said.
WeWork SA general manager Stafford Masie agreed, noting that Artificial Intelligence (AI) “is a super-power that’s been getting a lot of bad publicity, but it can be used to our advantage – not just a means of automation but for making work smarter”.
Not only do products and services need to change, but how and where people and businesses will work from. The new normal will now see many people continuing to work remotely. Working from home may have its benefits, but at the moment no one is really sure if this model is sustainable. Stafford said that companies are looking at hybrid models. A mix of working from home with hot-desking and flexible hours at short-term lease offices or walk-in type working space, such as what WeWork offers. He says that this type of office rental is seeing more big corporations coming through their door and asking for flexible office rentals. However anyone offering office space also needs to adapt to the building and behaviour to ensure the safety of all.
But what about technology for remote working? Is the current laptop, earplugs and USB microphone sufficient? What about software and Wifi broadband for webinars and remote meetings? Is the current level capable of meeting these growing needs? Who pays for this, is it the employee or the employer? This is the time where the adage “Never waste a good crisis” is highly relevant. Stafford said some service providers of broadband have offered cheap temporary upgrades, knowing full well that customers will unlikely return to the previous slow speed of pre-Covid-19.
People and businesses are going to need to become more innovative, more flexible and more up-skilled to work with technology. Businesses and staff are going to need to connect differently. Meetings now have a different tone, and many companies have reported that productivity has increased.
The big question, however, is “Is the lockdown worth it?” noted Biznews editor-in-chief Alec Hogg. The lockdown was put in place to prepare the health care system, however the economy is at a very precarious place and people believe that the lockdown will cause more of a calamity than the virus.
Business strategist Tony Manning said the government is sitting with a dilemma – on one hand the lockdown is having a devastating effect on the economy, but opening the economy too soon could see the virus run riot. For Stevens the road map is not obvious, but the other side of this is that South Africa has not yet been hit by the peak of infection, and nobody really knows when and how severe this will be. “So the government is stuck between a rock and a hard place”.
For Masie the government is faced with two bad choices, open the economy to prevent starvation and risk of the virus running riot, “either way, many people are going to be affected with suffering and unnecessary deaths”. He said the virus has highlighted just how far reaching poverty and inequality are.
Manning lamented the fact that the government was not communicating properly and enough with the populous – a general feeling among the public. Initially Cyril Ramaphosa was highly praised for his leadership in slowing down the curve, but his leadership is now in question. There seems to be internal differences within the ANC, but externally people agree that the government can certainly improve its communication to the public. Rules and regulations that seem senseless are not clarified as why they have been made. There is no explanation on what the intended process is, or the timing of each of the phases. The credibility of the government is being questioned and Ramaphosa, needs to regain the confidence of the people, Manning said.
The panel agreed there could be other solutions, not just an either-or, lockdown/no lockdown situation. Business can open up but adapting so that the virus is not a threat, for example making sure buildings are virus free and sterile, using technology and ecommerce more. Schools and universities are also adapting, but what this situation has highlighted is the massive inequality of the population. Many pupils do not have access to technology, so this needs to be addressed.
It is vital to have clear and transparent leadership right now as the possibility of the lockdown being a tinderbox is very real, the panel agreed. “We need a clear picture of where we are and what the plans are for the future of all South Africans.”
