Post-Pandemic and Beyond
It's no secret that a lot of industries are suffering as they transition from worldwide downturns and post-pandemic shifts. In fact, a lot of businesses, big or small, are closing down or filing for bankruptcy because they simply can't keep up anymore. With little to no sales, brands are forced to end their operations and raise the white flag so that they don't end up in debt.
So, if you have a small-to-midsize business and you're still open, consider yourself highly fortunate. And if you are, then you probably still have an active following.
During these trying times, it's important to set aside our differences as companies and try our best to use our voice for the betterment of the world. We all must have corporate social responsibility so we can do our parts not only in improving the lives of our employees, but also having a positive impact and influence on the society. Positive influence is already a big contribution in itself. So this is very manageable if you do it in order.
Put Your People First
Before immersing yourself in the community, please ensure that your people are taken care of first. A lot of companies are adapting to change now by pushing for the "work from home" setup. It's a win-win situation if you think of it because you get to keep your operations running while your staff can stay safe at home and work remotely for you. Understand though, that for this to pull through, you will need to provide resources to your team, such as the hardware and software that they need. Some companies have been allowing their employees to bring home their work computers and simply setup VPNs for internet connection.
Take Care of Your Management Team
Know that because of the pandemic, a huge part of your management team will not be managing anything for the meantime. This is true for those who do field work since we're not allowed to go outdoors during lockdowns or other restrictions/curfews.
What does this mean for the present and future of your workflow? It's time to restructure and let some of your managerial staff do something else. For instance. business development is a challenge or close to impossible right now (for certain industries in various countries). If you have a business development team, they're probably better off redirecting their skills and energy into other tasks. Again, redirect and restructure for each team player ASAP.
Community Immersion
One of the reasons why we need to go the extra mile in reaching out to the community is because the more that we work together, the faster we can overcome this pandemic and any post-pandemic trauma. CSR practices also help us meet and be closer to brands that have the same advocacies or core values like us. Engage your employees in these activities as well. Help them realize that they're part of the positive changes you're pushing for.
Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility to Your Company
You will be a more relevant name in your industry if you show your genuine concern towards the public. As you move to adapt to the new normal, you and your whole team will learn more about how other companies adapt as well. With all transparency, many of us were scouring for resources during the economic downturns, trying stay afloat amidst the worldwide pandemic. As we survive, we also improve our company reputation and we get to help our community in the process.
IMPORTANT: Understand that this is a team effort. People can become highly sensitive during challenging times. Therefore, do not make any CSR moves without discussing it with your team. Have an action plan ready and go through it a million times before pushing the play button. It's not called Corporate Social Responsibility for an empty reason.