Opportunities during Covid 19

Let us discuss about the Opportunities during Covid 19

There are a lot of dark sides to the coronavirus pandemic. People around the world are getting sick and dying, schools are closing, the healthcare system is overloaded, employees are losing their jobs, companies are bankrupt, stock markets are collapsing, and countries have to spend billions on bailouts and medical assistance. And for all of us, whether directly hurt or not, Covid-19 is a huge stressor shaking our psyche, triggering our fears and uncertainties.

No matter how grim and tragic it is all, there are always upsides. So, along with the Monty Python song, "Always look on the bright side of life," let's not forget about it and make the best of what the crisis gives us. As the good old SWOT analysis shows, there are not only threats, but also opportunities. With opportunities I don't mean the crisis offers additional company for companies like Zoom and Go to Webinar that allow interactive meetings, or for Amazon, which aims to recruit another 100,000 workers. The latter is probably more a challenge than an opportunity for others, especially for the mom and pop stores that are already going through difficult times.

By resources, I mean general incentives for the bulk of citizens impacted by the crisis.

The new situation has at least three of them to bring:

Opportunity 1: More time

Time is also seen as the most important and sparsest commodity we have in today's overheated world. Covid-19 reveals why: because we stacked our week with social events and activities like going to the theatre, birthdays, movie, restaurant, bar, sports club, gym, music, festivals, concerts. Much of it is abruptly cancelled or banned, granting us substantial free time. Yet now, it goes ongoing. That shows us how easy our calendars are to clear. Obviously this does not refer to the education industry and other critical industries, but it extends to a vast number of sectors outside this.

Opportunity 2: Speed and innovation

Covid-19 shows that things can change as soon as there is a strong enough stimulus. This contributes to stunning innovations. For eg, restaurants, not being able to open their doors, are moving to delivery mode. And suddenly schools do a lot of online teaching and even some of the testing. This now offers the opportunity to create innovations that can be sustained after the crisis. And it can also help maintain the current velocity and innovation mode afterward.

Opportunity 3: Better meetings

The current crisis has compelled us to rethink how we handle meetings. It thus offers an excellent opportunity to resolve one of the most disliked aspects of organizational life. For a couple of years, the technology for this is already present and mature but the coronavirus triggers a sudden need for it. The real opportunity here is to make systematic changes so that meetings, also after the crisis, are more effective.