Seamless adaptation to new tech, focus on health and safety and a resilient hybrid work model will make sure your business is ready for an ever-evolving world
The world of work has undergone a drastic transformation, ever since the pandemic overtook our lives. Remote work was once a far-fetched dream, but to ensure business continuity and the well-being of employees, companies went ahead with this model.
With vaccination drives in full swing, the world is slowly trying to adapt to the ‘new normal’ as we step into 2022. No wonder, companies are also looking to take another leap of faith — this time, towards hybrid working.
But how can businesses return to a hybrid work model, which envisages a flexi-return to workplaces, that can be beneficial to staff, customers and clients? With physical and mental wellness on high priority, what are some factors to keep in mind, before the larger population gets ‘back to work?’
Work-life balance is key
If there’s one key lesson that we’ve learnt during the pandemic, it is that work-life balance is imperative. With people confined to homes, the boundaries between personal and professional life were rather blurred. Not only did it give rise to high stress levels, but also led to loneliness and isolation.
A hybrid work model, on the other hand, gives people flexibility to choose their working hours, and at the same time, helps them bond with peers. Brainstorming and exchanging ideas face-to-face is likely to foster human connection, and at the same time, inspire creativity and consequently, boost productivity.
Moreover, the Covid-19 pandemic also made us realise the significance of technology in making mundane tasks more seamless. How about using it to help everyone work less and smarter? It is a win-win for sure!
Ride the ‘innovation’ wave
With the needs of professionals changing, it is also important for companies to evolve and keep pace with the trends. By introducing innovative policies, you can help drive your business forward, and help to spark creativity in a hybrid environment.
For instance, by embracing ‘core collaboration’ hours, which is time reserved for live meetings or counselling rooms, or enabling conference halls and offices designed to enhance camaraderie, you can earn the trust of your employees and inspire them to be their productive best.
Leaders who make conscious efforts to connect people across departments, and help foster opportunities to learn and grow together, will be marked for success in the coming years. Managements can plan ahead virtual events, so as to help people network with each other, over coffee or a meal. The possibilities are as endless!
Make technology your friend
By now, we’ve already established that technology is critical for a successful business. How about using new-age technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Augmented Reality (AR) in helping understand consumers better and providing them with a personalised experience?
For instance, in retail, augmented analytics helps store managers with inventory planning and logistics, and helps sales assistants predict what individual shoppers will be looking for when they walk through the door.
Both AI and AR have numerous applications and can be used across industries, including automotive, healthcare, gaming and finance, among others.
Health and Safety first
Everything aside, if there’s one aspect that’s most critical, it is the health and well-being of employees, clients and customers. With COVID-19 making its comeback with a new variant every few months, it is important to be alert and exercise caution, especially with a hybrid work model being the order of the day.
A clean environment with good ventilation systems, backed by the best in technology, is the need of the hour. As per the World Health Organisation, the risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus is increased in crowded and poorly ventilated settings. That’s because the virus passes between people through infected respiratory particles in the form of droplets and aerosols. In fact, research reveals that areas that do not have proper ventilation can have infected aerosols that can linger in the air, and travel farther than 1 metre.
Most heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems pull outside air inside. While HVACs are now omnipresent, they can play a key role in controlling the spread of SarsCov2, if maintained properly. The V in HVAC, or ventilation, is the process of replacing or exchanging air within a space.
This provides a better quality of air indoors and involves the removal of moisture, smoke, odours, heat, dust, airborne bacteria, carbon dioxide, and other gases. Moreover, it ensures temperature control and oxygen replenishment.
What makes UV-C tubes a preferred option?
UV-C fixtures installed in air-handling-unit (AHU) plenums/ ducts, air-distribution systems, or HVAC ductwork inactivate microorganisms “on the fly.” These cutting edge tech devices have been globally proven to help in significantly reducing the chances of infection in an indoor setting. HVAC or AHU units are commonly known as Centralized AC System or AC duct.
The germicidal dose is determined by the UV-C intensity, exposure time, and target pathogen’s susceptibility to UV-C. On the other hand, the UV-C lamps using more or higher-output lamps will increase the total dose – that is, the microwatt-seconds per square centimeter (µW-s/cm²). Furthermore, lamps with 360-degree irradiation allow more UV-C energy to saturate a plenum, increasing UV-C fluence.
In a nutshell, UV-C tubes inside the HVAC/ AHU systems can ensure that businesses drastically cut the risk of employees getting infected by the dreaded virus.
OSRAM UV-C tubes, which have a low-pressure Hg discharge lamp, transparent long-life coating, soft glass tube, are your best bet to install in your HVAC/AHU units and make sure your staff, clients and customers stay safe and let your business flourish. At the same time, they offer high efficiency and do not generate ozone, making them indispensable for your HVAC unit.
All in all, equipped with the latest European technology, OSRAM UV-C tubes offer value and benefits to businesses looking to notch up their game smartly. So, it’s time to get back to work safely in 2022!
