Remember when having 2020 vision used to be a good thing? This year has been a real challenge for business’, many of whom have had to throw out the rulebook on how their organisation was run, and completely restructure how their company operates. While this may have been confronting at first, many companies adjusted well to the challenge, transforming it into an opportunity to streamline their systems, unify their operations, and increase productivity.
This is because many organisations have made use of this difficult time as a chance to streamline their processes, in ways such as minimising their paper trail through a digital transformation audit, developing a more productive, happier work environment through improved OH&S practices, and giving staff and customers the peace of mind that comes with knowing their confidential information is safe through implementing an Information Security Management System. As we head into the holiday season, the Anitech team would like to acknowledge all the hard work business’ have done throughout the year to ensure that they could continue to serve their customers in a safe, compliant, manner.
Some of the ways business’ have rose to the challenges this year has thrown their way, and, through the adjustment of their business practices and streamlining of their operations, managed to come out on top, include:
- Undergoing a digital transformation audit of their entire operations. The challenges of 2020 have highlighted that many across the country operated in a ‘traditional’ manner, in which they were running their operations like they always had been for the past few decades. While this method of conducting business may have been sufficient under ordinary circumstances, the challenges of 2020 highlighted that many business’ were running inefficiently, with overly large paper trails and no degree of harmony between their different departments. By conducting a digital transformation audit, many companies were able to significantly minimise their physical paper trail, audit their existing systems for inefficiencies, and look at ways new technology could help them streamline their operations. Doing so has not only helped keep a significant number of business’ afloat, it has given them a competitive edge, thus making them stand out in a tough marketplace.
- Gauging the ways in which new working arrangements might compromise the security of the business’ information, and developing innovative strategies to keep their customer and staff details safe, through the implementation of an effective Information Security Management System (ISMS). For example, increased working from home arrangements has opened the doors for a myriad of information security threats, including compromised Wi-Fi networks, unauthorised users accessing work laptops, and so on. Business’ that have implemented an ISMS have been able to counter these threats in proven successful ways, such as by implementing authenticator apps that lock unauthorised users out, increased cyber-threat awareness, and so on.
- Ensuring that their customers and staff continue to visit their business premises, by implementing an Occupational Health and Safety Management System to reassure them of their safety. Through the effective implementation of this Management System business’ are able to develop a safe, supportive work environment, through strategies such as proactively identifying potential work health and safety threats and taking preventative measures to ensure they do not impact the operations, conducting regular audits of the operations to ensure everything remains above board, and developing a clear process for staff to follow in the event of an incident.
- For business’ that work with food, reassuring customers and stakeholders that the food they work with is safe and contamination-free at all stages of the food supply chain, through the implementation of an effective Food Safety Management System. This system has helped business’ identify and protect themselves against potential food hazards through the utilisation of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) approach. This methodology helps companies develop effective strategies to keep their food safe from contamination and food-hazard threats across the entire food supply chain, from production to shipping.
- Conducting onsite Occupational Hygiene Audits to assess the extent of staff exposure to a variety of physical, environmental, ergonomic, chemical, and various other potential onsite threats. An occupational hygiene audit sees a qualified Occupational Hygienist conduct onsite testing of the premises to assess the business’ compliance to a range of potential exposure risks. An action plan can then be developed to give the business clear guidance on what it needs to do to achieve regulatory compliance, keep their staff safe, and uphold its reputation as a safe, trustworthy organisation to deal with.
Make your business the three R’s: Regulatory compliant, reliable, and resilient.
In short, 2020 for business’ was about resilience. Lots of business’ met the challenges of the year head-on, and through identifying the challenges to their operations, the were able to develop clear and reliable solutions to ensure that their organisation could continue to serve its customers, maintain its staff, and remain competitive in the marketplace.
Business’ should not lose this sense of determination and perseverance in 2021. Even when things go back to ‘normal’, or something close to it, companies should keep that drive, that dedication to do better and improve their services, and their determination to ensure their business practices are the three R’s: Regulatory compliant, reliable, and resilient.
If you would like to learn more about how you can strengthen your business’ operations, streamline its systems, and deliver a safer, more reliable, service to customers, then please give Anitech’s consultants a call on 1300 802 163, or send them an email on info@anitechgroup.com. Anitech will be closed from the 24th of December until the 15th of January, although a small team will be available for the 4th of January to address any urgent enquiries.
By giving Anitech’s consultants a brief overview of your business, they will be able to discuss with you the ways in which various Management Systems could be implemented across your operations to help your business achieve its company goals.
The team at Anitech would like to wish business’ a Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year. Enjoy your well-earned time off to do the other three R’s: Rest, relax, and recuperate, to ensure that you enter 2021 as ready as ever. What could be a better New Year’s Resolution than that?
Please click here to read more about how your company can effectively prepare for the 2021 business year.
