A Year Into The Pandemic: What We’ve Learned
Above: The empty Accela office - we’re now enjoying being able to allow employees to work from the office while adhering to government regulations.
It's been just over a year since we gathered our essentials from the office and hunkered down in our homes as Singapore entered its Circuit Breaker period to stamp out the spread of COVID-19. I wouldn't say the time has flown by, but fast-forward 12 months and as restrictions on the number of people allowed in an office have changed, we feel we are taking another positive step towards what will now be the norm.
As we reposition ourselves and businesses to fit the new version of the world, we've been taking stock of what we’re grateful to leave behind us and what we’ll happily be taking forward.
What has changed forever…
Our systems
Fortunately, at Accela, we've always been a very tech-forward business and were early adopters of e-sign platforms, cloud storage and office management tools. It's not like we were preparing for a scenario like Circuit Breaker, but when tested, our business continuity plan worked extraordinarily well.
We used those six weeks of uncertain times to make sure all our systems were as streamlined and updated as possible. We researched, experimented with, and shared best practices for presenting yourself online, knowing that virtual conferences are here to stay.
Other organisations' systems
The Accela Finance & Accela Corporate Secretary teams help new businesses set up their bank accounts, which, pre-COVID, required inked signatures and even a company stamp. Accela Talent applies for work passes for new hires, which has traditionally required a verified ink signature.
Circuit Breaker thrust organisations like banks and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to adopt e-signatures. We've found it has significantly streamlined our processes, making everyone efficient while staying equally compliant.
The pandemic has also sparked more interest in Neobanks, which are faster and more convenient to set up online and offer more agility. We wrote about the pros and cons of setting up with a Neobank here.
Our work-from-home approach
The past year has also prompted us, and many other organisations, to change our work-from-home approach, which for us at Accela was previously pretty limited. Working from home created more trust among teams, enhanced efficiencies, and provided better work-life balance. It caused us to revisit our policies and we have now adopted a hybrid approach.
Above: Team Drink, Talk, Learn sessions were a way for us to boost morale and foster team-building over Circuit Breaker
What has stayed the same…
Focus on culture
As a leader, it has been important to make sure all employees feel engaged and valued – we've worked hard to keep the Accela culture alive even when we've been physically apart.
The loss of our Friday night drinks and Wednesday morning pastries were felt across Accela's team, which is one that loves to socialise. Not letting social distancing get in the way, we launched our Drink, Talk, Learn sessions over Circuit Breaker, and they became a regular weekly night fixture. Each session, we were randomly assigned teams, and each team had to prepare no more than three slides on any topic, then present them to the group. We've converted this to a hybrid of in-person and remote events with small groups in response to the new regulations and policies.
Focus on clients
Across all verticals at Accela Group, we pride ourselves on our service and delivery standards. We are continuously working to improve our client experience by implementing new systems, processes, products, and services that meet the demands of our client base. As a team, we ensure these new systems can add value and help us provide our clients with exceptional service and expertise, enabling them to achieve outstanding business results.