The New Abnormal
Created on 9 July, 2024 • Scale Up Business • 32 views • 3 minutes read
Right now, most of what you see in the media are predictions about when the COVID-19 pandemic will end.
The New Abnormal
Right now, most of what you see in the media are predictions about when the COVID-19 pandemic will end.
But as good as predictions are, they are still just that—predictions. Or in more common terms: guesses.
Sure, some people can guess better than others because they might have more comprehensive data, more experience from previous events, etc.
Recently, there have been reports that this situation could last until 2021 (God forbid), forcing us to accept this as the "new normal," or the new normal way of living.
That life is like this now.
However, I think this is not normal. It’s abnormal. I don't think we can call this the "new normal," as if this situation is final. There is still a chance for more changes.
One abnormal situation triggers another abnormal response, resulting in a new abnormal condition.
Table Of Contents
- The new abnormal
- Mercedes Benz making and selling medical ventilators
- Pertamina turning a football field into a hospital
- Laundry entrepreneurs racing to make cheap ventilators
- Kabobs displaying health information of their employees
- Keychains priced at $35 (about Rp.500,000) that are selling fast
- What’s happening?
- Abnormal ways of working
The New Abnormal
We’re starting to see abnormal activities in the business world.
Here are some examples:
Mercedes Benz making and selling medical ventilators.
Pertamina turning a football field into a hospital.
Laundry entrepreneurs racing to make cheap ventilators.
Kabobs displaying health information of their employees.
Keychains priced at $35 (about Rp.500,000) that are selling fast.
This keychain acts as a "touch tool," helping people avoid direct contact with objects.
What’s Happening?
There are many other abnormal events, like KFC selling on the roadside. But the point is the same.
What do all these events have in common?
These companies are acting outside their normal activities. Abnormal. And in the process, they are helping many people.
A car company and a laundry business both making ventilators, a food company showing employees' body temperatures, a $35 keychain.
These situations wouldn’t make sense in normal conditions. Why would they do all this?
It goes back to the basic principle of business: Delivering value, or providing something valuable to others.
Abnormal conditions require abnormal responses. And if your abnormal response can provide more value, then don't be normal.
Alexander Osterwalder once said:
“If your business model before and after the pandemic is the same, there might be something you need to evaluate.”
Abnormal Ways of Working
One way of working still considered abnormal today is remote work. Or more commonly known as working from home. Though technically, the two are not the same. But that’s another discussion.
When we first decided to build our company with full remote work in 2015, some people considered KIRIM.EMAIL's way of working abnormal.
Yes, building a company without an office is abnormal, but does that mean it's not good? Not necessarily. Some people saw us working very efficiently and effectively.
A few years later, in 2018, we launched Remote Class, a one-day workshop discussing how we work remotely, the principles, and how to apply this model to other businesses. It turned out the class was full. We then opened subsequent batches, and the enthusiasm remained high.
We decided to close Remote Class after batch 4, considering many factors. One was that maybe very few companies could adopt remote work like us.
From our experience, only 10-20% of participants managed to close their offices and work fully remotely like us.
Most opted for partial remote work. Some in the office, some at home. Again, the material was effective, the principles worked. But I wasn’t satisfied because I wanted at least 70-80% of participants to go fully remote.
But, by God’s will, early this year, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and now all companies are forced to work fully remotely. Those still insisting on office work are fined.
So, we decided to reopen Remote Class, but in an online version so you can learn directly from home.
Classes will start on the 15th, God willing. But you can register now to get a special, much cheaper price.
Conclusion
The article highlights the unpredictable and abnormal changes brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing that what we are experiencing is not the "new normal" but rather an abnormal situation that keeps evolving. It showcases how businesses are adapting in unconventional ways to add value and survive, stressing the importance of embracing change and finding innovative solutions. It also touches on the acceptance of remote work as a viable long-term strategy for many companies.