SunTec and SunTecites adapting to the 'new normal'

“It was not so long ago when the coronavirus started to spread and the government implemented strict lockdowns. Amid this, office workers packed their desks to work from home, thinking that they would return within a few weeks. As the COVID-19 pandemic leaped from a handful of regions hitting almost all the parts of the country, the weeks soon turned into months disrupting the health, economic state, and mental devastation that was totally unexpected.”

In light of an escalation in the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, SunTec India has established remote working as a core component of its “new normal” and is taking all measures to adapt to the situation, both during the global pandemic and beyond. The company is therefore encouraging its staff to efficiently utilize all available solutions, and embrace the culture of working remotely. While taking care of its employees, SunTec has also reaffirmed its commitment to providing uninterrupted services in all locations around the world while working at its full capacity.

SunTec has also taken preventative measures to ensure the safety of its workers who are going to office premises in case of emergency work, including daily screening with thermal scanners, providing sanitizers, and regular cleaning of all workspaces. As a proactive measure to fight COVID-19, the board of directors of the company are prioritizing to safeguard the health of their associates and communities, while also meeting the increased requirements of their clients.

The CEO of the company, clearly stated, “These are unprecedented times calling for dynamic measures, but we are all standing strong, fighting on the front lines of this pandemic." He further adds, “Business must go on and innovate, even in times of crisis. If we give people the right tools, help them make the transition, empower them, and motivate them to do their best, the conditions will certainly improve.”

CHALLENGES:

Any transition is not easy. Work from home and adapting to the new normal doesn’t come without their share of problems. The company addresses that the lack of space at home created problems for some, while many employees feel that the absence of physical interaction has an adverse effect on their ability to innovate and solve complex challenges leading to a fall in productivity and performance.

As remote working initially brought several challenges and a need to develop a new way of thinking and operating, the company carefully assessed the situation and witnessed that physical interaction is crucial to nurturing relationships and facilitating collaboration. Failure to this results in reduced mental wellbeing, interruptions, lack of peer support, loneliness, and stress. Concludingly, the company believes that working remotely is an adjustment where the major challenges they face are:

• Isolation from office colleagues
• Absence of physical interactions
• Lack of productivity
• Managing anxiety and stress
• Difficulty in segregating their personal and professional lives.

SOLUTIONS:

SunTec believes that despite any company having the best technology and tools at their disposal, if they do not help their employees in making the adjustment, it defeats the purpose. To continuously engage its employees and help them be productive, the top management proactively shares tips on setting up a home office. SunTec takes the following measures as they adapt to the new model:

• Suggesting its employees make dedicated physical workspace at home
• Bringing collaborative workspaces/platforms where they can easily access all of the systems and applications they need to do their jobs
• Providing opportunities to connect and collaborate with colleagues such as virtual meetings and video chats
• Encouraging more regular guidance/feedback from managers
• Providing flexible schedules to meet family responsibilities.
• Leveraging video conferencing and chat apps like Skype to drive richer communications.
• Hosting virtual office hours where SunTecites can drop in on their managers
• Increasing autonomy to its employees in order to improve the performance of teams and increase productivity.
• Providing specific training sessions for using online platforms and tools.

Overall, the company believes that the solution lies in a blended model that combines embracing technology with emotional intelligence. SunTec puts in every effort to motivate, manage, and evaluate performance remotely. This way, the company is on its way to deliver the right digital experience, retain talent, improve productivity, and succeed.

SunTecites Preparing for the Future

As the company innovates and implements new forms to work effectively in the current situation and future, SunTecites are willingly embracing the change and building a positive culture with empowered tools, confidence, and trust. SunTecites are determined to drive business continuity, fight the tough times, and give their best to deliver the best outcomes even in the most challenging times.