Author: Zoe Brown, Riskhub
The current coronavirus crisis is requiring companies across all sectors to adapt to unprecedented operational challenges. The office environment has been replaced with remote working, training and support delivered online, rather than in person, and we are discovering new tools every day that help us to keep connected and deliver the best service possible.
The resilience that businesses are showing in this difficult time is extraordinary, and whilst we will learn a lot about operational needs during lockdown, it would be a missed opportunity if everything reverted to the pre-lockdown status quo.
The current crisis has exposed the weaknesses of archaic and outdated risk management systems that a worrying number of housing associations still rely on. These systems can be difficult to use at the best of times, but now – with the workforce reduced due to sickness, isolations and furloughs – housing associations need a risk management system that can easily identify high-risk properties and prioritise these buildings when capacity is limited.
With offices out-of-bounds at short notice and for an indefinite period of time it is more important than ever to ensure that all the information that is required to carry out vital safety checks is easily available remotely.
COVID-19 is a much-needed wake up call. When this crisis is over the housing sector will need to wholeheartedly embrace technology to give it the best chance to deal with rapid change in an increasingly unpredictable world.
