Will COVID-19 spike digitisation? Springboard discusses tech’s impact on work

THERE is no doubt that the COVID 19 pandemic is the most disruptive experience since the great depression and the Second World War.
It is almost as if a whole century of work has been decimated in six months.

The pandemic has changed the whole world of work, with most staff of businesses now working from home.

Where does that leave you, where does that leave your company, what is the future of your industry, will it come back? If it will, then you must do something differently.

It is against this background that Springboard, Your Virtual University, a radio programme on Joy Fm, used last week’s edition to discuss how technology has changed the world of work in the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic.

Helping with the discussion was the Head of Channels at the Universal Merchant Bank, Mr Myles Christian Hagan.

Significant changes
Mr Hagan said the changes to the world of work as a result of COVID 19 had been very significant.

“Data available on trends in the American market shows that there has been a transformation, especially in the banking, entertainment, groceries, apparel, utilities and telecoms sectors.”

“When it comes to Ghana, it has also been very disruptive. Presently, most workplaces are working from home so you have a lot of digital team work and there are also conferences and seminars now online and even churches are still doing digital services,” he stated.

He said there was also a lot of local sourcing and local capacity building, which had been a game changer.

“We have realised we have a lot of local potential and if you look at the Fintech market especially, you realise there is a lot of new technologies that are coming out and these are some of the disruptions that are transforming the landscape.”

“Most IT managers too have become very agile; now there is a lot of work and things that need to be done so regardless of your sector, we are seeing a lot of transformation courtesy COVID 19,” he noted.

He said the pandemic had brought to light lots of things and new ways of doing work.

Technology at the centre
Commenting on the role of technology in this pandemic, he said technology had been the catalyst in driving the transformation.

“If you look at the trends, you will realise in terms of getting the job done, you will need some form of technology.

“The ideas have been there but possibly scattered, now technology has consolidated these ideas so we now have a scope where you can think it, leave it to technology and utilise it,” he explained.

He said technology had been the fulcrum around which all these transformations were happening.

“Without technology, we will not be able to move as fast as we are doing,” he pointed out.

Hardly hit industries
Mr Hagan believes locally, the entertainment industry had been the hardest-hit industry.

“Some of us are looking forward to the usual Ebo Whyte days but now the question is what is the alternative? If you cannot go to the National Theatre, will he now do a digital play for us?”

He said the tourism and hotel industry has also been hardly hit and for them there was no alternative to offer their services digitally.

“In terms of the others, it’s been more beneficial, especially in banking. Most institutions are looking at transitioning from the analogue way of doing things to a digital way and that has been a benefit and most customers would have to adapt to the newer ways of banking.”

“Someone who was more averse to mobile banking now has to find a way of learning and adapting to it,” he stated.

Maintaining pre COVID productivity levels
Mr Hagan pointed out that companies could leverage on technology to maintain their productivity levels even in the wake of COVID.

He said this was however based on how the companies planned and capitalised on the opportunities.

“It is based on how you plan it, how you capitalise on the opportunities and if you had developed a level of technology adoption. In this case your staff are very competent and capable and working towards using the technology, you can easily go through without any headache,” he explained.


Opportunities
Digital Content Creator, Naa Oyoo Kumodzi, who joined in the conversation via telephone, said although COVID 19 has had its own casualties, there have been some upsides as well.

“There have been some upside for some companies especially those who had already introduced technology into their business. For them, it was like an acceleration to push more of their products and services out there to their existing customers and getting more new customers in.

“I have spoken to people who are running small businesses on Instagram and Facebook who have sold a lot during this era because everyone is staying home and there is a demand for small businesses that have opened on Instagram and Facebook,” he stated.

She said businesses that have been laggards in adopting digital tools are the ones scrambling to get things in place.

“We have discussed digital adoption over the years and social media training workshops but some people thought they didn’t need it. But now it’s like those who adopted it early are winning and those who have been laggards are unfortunately now trying to catch up and there is a lot of catching up to do.

“This is because they are now putting in place their digital strategy, who they are going to train for their platform and the skills that every employee needs.

“Digital is the future and we are in the future,” she said.

The new normal
On whether things will return to how they were, she said this was the new normal and everyone must accept it.

“We have to recognise the period that we are in. Internationally, businesses have changed their systems and its now contactless. There are lots of changes now so if you don’t adapt and go back to your old ways of doing things, nobody will do business with you.

“Customers have become enlightened and have become aware of the changes and what the virus has caused so customers will more likely lean towards organisations that have put in place new strategies or digital solutions to make it convenient and safe for them to use their products and services,” she explained.