Last Friday, we hosted a Virtual Think IT Panel Event. Our panelists lead a discussion on Real-Time Issues in the IT World. A huge thank you to our panelists, Brett Brunick, CIO at TCF Bank, Andy Dulka, Chief Information Officer at Starkey Hearing Technologies, and Carissa Rollins, CIO Employer and Individual at UnitedHealth Group for sharing their thoughts and knowledge with the group. 

What has your organization done to keep your employees engaged as they work in this “new” normal? 

This new normal is a huge shift for companies. Many had a predominately in-person work culture and are now adjusting. Each of the panelists stated that their organization has chosen to keep its employees informed through videos and company updates regularly to keep them engaged. Transparency is huge in times like these.  

What shift have you seen in change management and the openness to work differently? 

Brett mentioned that his company is in the middle of a merger, and they go live in August. They have not stopped the work speed and collaboration, or the strategic initiatives being done to keep everything up and running. Companies are also not only making changes based on what their guidelines are but also the government’s guidelines. Every time the federal government changes its guidelines, companies must adapt to them as well. This requires everyone to be open-minded due to all the changes.  

How are you thinking about what priorities your organization should focus on post-pandemic? 

In the future, we know that many companies will be less face to face. Companies are focusing on how they are going to virtualize and simplify meetings and how they are going to continue to prepare if something like this happens again. Also, there will be a big focus on how they are going to have continuous care throughout this and what they need to offer to their customers to make up for any lost time.  

How has the pandemic changed how your organization is investing in new talent right now? 

Investing in new talent is crucial to some organizations right now. Many companies are doing different onboarding processes virtually. The panelist’s agreed that online onboarding is something they need to get adjusted to. Companies have also found that this pandemic has them looking for more consultants, not necessarily full-time employees. Also, with everyone having to work remotely, they can stretch their talent search across the worldCarissa stated that they want to hire the best talent for their companies, no matter where they sit in the world.  

What is your strategy for “return to work” given 1) the ongoing requirement for social distancing, and 2) the schools are continuing with distance learning? 

With this pandemic, people are in very different situations. Companies are being understanding and are ensuring that their number one priority is to protect their employees. The question of can people be productive while working remotely is eliminated. That’s why companies are not in a hurry. Employees have proven that working remotely works. When people start coming back into the office, the energy will be up, but they will also have to remember to keep their distance.  

As we continue moving through this pandemic, it’s important to remember to stay in touch with your employees and customers. While it has been shown that working remotely is working, nothing compares to face to face interaction. If you were unable to join, you can view the full session here.