Companies & Employees: A Rough ‘Tug-of-War’ In The COVID-19 Panic-Demic

Suicides, hunger, depression, lay-offs, deaths.

COVID-19: This is a time that was never imagined to occur on the whole earth’s humanity altogether at the same time.

For the business world, it’s a pushback!

Most of the companies around the globe run on foot, and they’re 110% shut.

Even the companies that work 150% digitally, have reduced operations because somewhere they were connected with the companies running on foot- either as a client or as a vendor.

Naturally, employee lay-offs are happening, salary cuts, and even half or lesser salaries are being paid to the employees until the COVID-19 pandemic is under control and life is back to life.

This is such a perplexing situation for the companies who actually want to keep the employees, pay their vendors, work for their clients, receive payments and maintain their businesses. The company owners have families to look after and a bigger purpose to serve humanity if they can afford, at least.

Looking at the situation of the employees, who used to be the “Star Employees” until last year, they are under threat. They have a family to support too.

We neither can blame the employees for not working without salaries at this dangerous time to support their employers nor can we point fingers at the companies that are not able to stay afloat without having their clients paying them every month.

Few little points that stand out right now for the companies:

1. You must have some reserve cash at all times.
2. You must have trust and very good relationships with your employees.
3. Your vendors and clients should be your friends.
4. You must always be relevant to your audience – including employees, clients, and vendors.
5. You must either have a plan to cope up or start working on your business to be seen as smart and active when the pandemic will start to settle down.
6. You have a larger than life responsibility to take care of the families of your employees along with your own family. At least, make sure they are having their meals.

Something for the employees:

1. You are not to be blamed for not working at lesser salaries.
2. If you’re not laid-off during the pandemic, getting paid as regular, it’s your responsibility to understand how important you are to the organization. That doesn’t mean you’re permanent though.
3. In such testing times, if you don’t show empathy towards the company and do not contribute to enabling the company to hold their place in business, you’ll be of no use to your company. They cannot afford to keep you. You will be laid-off soon, and it will not be unjust.
4. You must follow all the rules of working in a pandemic like COVID-19 right now – Social distancing, covering your mouth and nose, staying safe at all times. Your life is precious.
5. If your employer has asked you to work on lower salaries, you know the fact that it’s impossible if you do not have any savings. It’s difficult to get another job at the moment. So, talk to your employer to pay you at least for the essentials like food and medicine for your family. They need you, and you need them, it’s a marriage.
6. Your cooperation, understanding, and trust in the company will help boost your company’s morale and this can be fought ONLY together.

What every individual must do during the pandemic right now:

1. Do not panic.
2. Save your resources- Money, food, electricity.
3. Help one or a few downtrodden families in your neighborhood. They’re not even having a proper meal a day these days.
4. Make time to ring up your friends and family. Depression is touching every soul today.
5. Upgrade your professional skills.
6. Be relevant on every online channel you use.
7. Be thankful to God that you’re alive and capable of taking actions today.

What’s next?

Openthrive has paid salaries to its employees a week in advance, 50% more than their normal, keeping in mind the difficulty people are in right now. We’re the only company I know who gave appraisals during this lockdown. Our efforts don’t end there. We are working remotely even more aggressively now because our clients need us the most at the moment. Six days a week can be taken to seven if required.

Our colleagues are our superheroes and our clients are like our children who need us right now, and “NO” cannot be an answer by us, as far as it’s relevant and affordable.

We’re providing business services right now just like usual, but with more enthusiasm and caution. We’re contributing our bit to the PM Fund and a few other smaller organizations that are tirelessly working to sustain the lives of the underprivileged.

The next step is to be more meaningful for ourselves, our colleagues and our clients.

Because we don’t realize when it’s a Thursday or a Monday these days, it’s a joint decision that we are going to be available for business meeting calls on Sundays as well.

I hope the world economy gets back in shape soon!