The prolonged period of lockdowns has changed the way we work, view productivity, and manage our well-being. In this pandemic, work from home, earlier construed a privilege for some employees, has become the new norm.

This has led to newer beliefs among firms, many of whom are now considering to have remote work for specific roles permanently. Employees are learning to navigate through their work demands while fulfilling domestic responsibilities under a lockdown. This has led to new paradigms of the well-being of the mind and body, and work-life balance.

It is expected to be a changed world after the COVID-19 pandemic is over, however these are still uncertain times for everyone. Challenging times like these allow for business leaders to rise to the occasion.

Leaders will need to redefine the vision during and after crisis, manage their teams and their work-life adjustments, ensure productivity, learning and collaboration, communicate with stakeholders effectively, or take difficult decisions if required.

With the onset of the pandemic, several firms had to quickly move their processes online as nations globally prepared for extended periods of lockdown. New technologies are increasingly being explored and tested every day to minimise physical interactions with employees as well as clients.

CIOs globally are already looking at cost reduction measures, leveraging flexibility built in the current investments to ensure business continuity, and to look at investing for business productivity for the new normal. How can they zero in on the right portfolio of ICT investments for their businesses to stay afloat or better yet, succeed in this complex environment?

Several countries are witnessing the economic and financial impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic. There is lingering uncertainty about its severity and length.

With changes seen in global business practices and consumer behaviours, there seem to be stronger effects on economies than previously thought. The financial system has been impacted significantly with a predicted loss of global income that runs into trillions of dollars. This could worsen even further as the world economy is said to head into a recession. Developing countries will see increasing pressures on containing fiscal deficits and foreign exchange rate.