But the global health crisis has been challenging for everyone – including the companies that have been working hard to keep us connected, like Vodafone Group. Vodafone is a multinational technology communications company that serves more than 300 million mobile customers around the world.

Quick Response to Customers and Employees

Ignacio Garcia, CIO of Corporate Information Systems at Vodafone, recently appeared on Getting Real with SAP. There, he discussed how companies are leveraging technology to manage their business and continue to serve customers in the age of COVID-19.

“You can imagine what we were thinking: How much extra demand are we going to have?” says Garcia. “We needed to keep our employees safe and make sure we supported our customers in the best possible way.”

Vodafone was able to do both.

In short order, the company developed a to help the communities it serves. Keystones of the plan were a commitment to maintaining the quality of service and providing network capacity and network services for critical government functions.

Vodafone also made sure to quickly address the needs of a global workforce that encompasses more than 100,000 employees. Vodafone offered support for working at home, created richer virtual training opportunities for its people, and adjusted performance goals and objectives to align with new business needs.

The Right Technology Pays Dividends

Vodafone’s business agility was not merely the result of good luck.

Less than a year ago, Vodafone completed a massive global rollout of 51ˇçÁ÷S/4HANA to help improve operational efficiency in business functions such as finance, supply chain, and IT.

It was an impressive project covering more than 20 countries. And in addition to establishing a single digital core for the company, it included retooling Vodafone’s worldwide HR systems. “Using the power of the technology was fundamental, having a single data model, a single way to optimize and understand the different markets,” says Garcia.

Stay Creative

Vodafone may have been ahead of the curve in its ability to meet the challenges of COVID-19. But many other companies are responding with technology-driven innovation. There has been an incredible degree of creativity in how businesses have reacted.

Staying connected will only be one of the challenges we face in the days ahead. This is a critical time for all of us – as individuals and as businesses.

Check out to learn more.

The post Will Technology Keep Us Together? Ask Vodafone appeared first on 51ˇçÁ÷Africa News Center.

Before COVID-19, that might have meant interacting with colleagues at the office differently or supporting corporate initiatives . But since COVID-19, work and home have been happening in the same place. To challenge gender inequality at work also means addressing it in the home.

As part of the launch event for , I had the honor of participating in a panel discussion last month devoted to just this issue. It turned out to be one of the most candid panel discussions of my career. Out of the nearly 300 attendees (90% of whom were working parents), we heard again and again that they are exhausted, overwhelmed, lonely, and grieving for the loss of their pre-pandemic lives.

We’ve seen it in the recent article “” in The New York Times: working parents — mothers in particular — are in crisis. My fellow panelists and I, all mothers ourselves, found ourselves trading war stories of the past 11 months.

Our discussion was in the spirit of the times when work and life are all mashed together. Nobody checked any part of themselves at the door. Listening to the questions from the attendees and the answers from the panel felt more like a late-night discussion among friends. But the friends in this case also happened to be on my shortlist of trailblazing women in business. At the event were fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff; Katya Libin, founder of ; Joan Nguyen, founder of ; and Blessing Adesiyan, founder of .

The program provides special offers, resources, and content to make life easier for parents trying to juggle it all in the tough times of COVID-19. We’ve launched in cooperation with the because we realize that working parents are facing unprecedented pressures and companies need to do more to help.

To kick off this incredible partnership, our panel talked about all things parenting, working from home, and juggling it all. I found myself taking notes just so I could incorporate these solutions into my own life. Here are some of my favorite gems from the conversation.

Plan for Fun

One of the complaints of working moms is that they never get a moment to rest their minds from the work of planning and coordination, even at the end of a long workday. So suggesting a bit more planning might seem counter-intuitive. But setting aside time each night for a specific activity, like arts and crafts, letter writing, or game night, and letting the whole family know in advance does two things. It gives the kids — and grown-ups — something to look forward to.

Adeysian shared, “As my 11-year-old said, it was like an Advent calendar that extended into January.” One other effect of planning for fun? It gives the kids a sense of structure and predictability, which can counteract any anxiety they might be feeling in these unpredictable times. We might be spending all our time together, but that doesn’t always mean it’s quality time.

Give Some of Your Time to Others

How can making even less time for yourself have a positive impact? Because it can boost what Libin called “ROE” or return on energy. We spend 15 minutes chasing down a toddler so they can put on their shoes or take their medicine, and we might feel drained. We spend time giving career advice to another working parent who might need it, and we can feel restored.

As Libin said, “In these times where many of us can feel isolated or absorbed in our own struggles, we can take the time, whether it’s five minutes or 30, to share our expertise and give back. What we’ve seen from the community at HeyMama is that it leaves people feeling renewed and connected.”

Go Easy on Yourself

This was the note the whole panel ended on and it seemed like the point everybody had been trying to get to. When we say , we have to acknowledge that best means something different for every parent. But there is one thing it doesn’t mean for any parent, and that’s perfect. It was a relief to hear, even from such an accomplished panel, that there are days when they don’t feel like they’re getting anything right. Especially for moms, it’s common to feel like you’re not getting work right because you’re thinking about your kids and you’re not getting parenting right because you’re thinking about work.

As an alternative to worrying, the whole panel offered up this advice: Focus on what you can do and stop wasting time and energy thinking of everything you should do. Allow yourself to be imperfect. “Give yourself some grace,” is the way Adesiyan phrased it. After she spoke, you could feel everybody on the video chat exhale.

If we’re going to enlist the help of companies in the struggles of working parents, the first thing we’ve got to encourage is a new mindset, one in which we extend some grace to one another because we see the bigger picture. We’ve got to stop thinking of employees as assets and think of the whole employee and their whole experience of work and life together.

The demographics of the attendees were a window into just how widespread the struggles of working parents are. Of the event attendees, most had about two children. They came from 30 different industries and 75 different cities in at least three countries, and 86% of them said their responsibilities had increased because of COVID-19. The struggle of working parents during a pandemic is real, but so is the opportunity for everybody — from working parents to their employers — to take action.

The pieces of advice here are just the tip of the iceberg. For parents, they are small steps toward feeling safer and more engaged. For leaders who share this advice with the teams, it’s a step toward smarter, more resilient business environments.

To learn more about how you can improve your own experience as a working parent or how to help working parents you know or employ, visit the website.

April Crichlow is global vice president and head of Marketing for 51ˇçÁ÷SuccessFactors.

This article first appeared on the 51ˇçÁ÷Global News Center.

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How are these parents being welcomed back and supported during a time when they are managing great change in both their personal and professional lives?

Here are the stories of two women who work for large, international companies. In describing their personal experiences of returning to work after maternity leave, they show how other employers and managers can best support their people in similar situations.

Rebecca knew that 2020 would include major life changes. She had accepted a new role at her tech company and was expecting her second child in March. But like with everything else in 2020, things didn’t go as planned. Her baby arrived six weeks early and stayed in the neonatal intensive care unit for weeks. Then, a few days after her baby was released from the hospital, the world shut down for the pandemic.

Her husband still went to his job each day as an essential worker while she faced the demands of a toddler and newborn at home. In addition, given the global economic slowdown, she was anxious about her job security while she was on leave. “It was really scary,” she said. “My face and my name were not in the mix.”

Employees returning to work after a major life event are at risk of burnout, a loss in productivity, or leaving the workforce. But new parents who are returning to the workforce during a pandemic were, and still are, in particularly uncharted territory. One of the most important things HR leaders can do is listen and seek to understand these parents as they return to work – whether it’s from home or the office.

“My manager at the time was always reassuring me that I needed to focus on my family,” she said. “Her constant reassurance was really helpful.”

It’s critical that organizations have visibility into the changing needs of all employees as they adjust to new ways of working. Listening to employee concerns and getting insights into their well-being means you can improve the employee experience, a critical part of business continuity.

For managers to lead people effectively today, they need more insights about employees, says Christine Andrukonis, the founder of Notion Consulting and an expert in helping leaders change behavior.

“I like to say that 50% of the work is about the work itself and 50% of the work is about the people and what’s happening behind-the-scenes for the people involved in the work,” she explained to . “And leaders have to have that mindset. Until they can appreciate that half of this success relies on the human beings and what’s going on with them, it’s going to be really hard to optimize everything at 100%.”

Managers in particular can do more to provide resources and support. Here are four ways to start.

Set Expectations and Manage Communication

With childcare availability and schools in flux, many new parents are also in a critical phase of bonding with their newborns.

After Rebecca returned to work, she said one of the biggest challenges was the sustained level of expectation to deliver. For example, despite the company’s generous offer of an extended 10 days of paid time off, she said she couldn’t take PTO days in light of her growing workload.

“When the pandemic first hit, I didn’t feel any reset of expectations. Part of this is potentially just on me and my work ethic,” she said. “You can offer all the time off in the world, but if the expectations on delivery don’t change, I can’t use that time.”

While paid time off and flexible leave policies are incredibly important, employees need ongoing discussions with managers to make the most of those offerings. Otherwise, company-wide e-mail communication and brochures do little to help new parents.

“Management conversations are really important, because those are the ones that feel real,” she said. “They’re tangible to you as an employee.”

To provide companies with tools to help ensure employees have the emotional and mental health support to navigate constant change, Thrive Global and 51ˇçÁ÷published the guide, “.” Managers and leaders can learn about improving their communication, expectation setting, and workload management for all workforces – including remote, on-site, and hybrid.

Support Caretakers and New Moms in Career Transitions

After Michele, a marketing and event planning executive, returned to work in the summer, she had to recalibrate her skills when conferences turned into virtual events. She received a major first assignment upon her return.

“The good news is that I love the fact that they trusted me,” she said. “The bad news is that babies are quite demanding.”

Since giving birth to her second child in early March, Michele was juggling breastfeeding a newborn as she worked remotely. While her company offered a one-month transition period through part-time hours, her workload wasn’t commensurate with a part-time schedule.

“That benefit is great, but the truth is I was working full-time,” she said, adding that she often took early calls with colleagues in Europe while also communicating with her local team.

Managers should have conversations to evaluate if and how they can ease employees back into the workforce to ensure a manageable workload. Many high performers don’t want to turn down a career-advancing opportunity, but managers can do their part to help set boundaries toward longer-term goals. For example, they can assign high-visibility opportunities in a later phase of post-leave return, so boundaries don’t limit employees’ careers.

To make sure caretakers have more opportunities in the workplace, many companies are trying to identify learning and development opportunities that challenge the employee, allowing them to gain new skills and grow.

Sustain Personal Mental and Physical Health

In typical times, caring for a newborn can be an isolating experience. With social distancing measures in place, many feel grief and frustration that they can’t share this milestone with others. Michele said that having her second baby during this health crisis highlighted this void.

“They say it takes a village to raise a child,” she said. “What’s different today is everybody is scared. I don’t expect anyone to come and bring me a lasagna just because I gave birth. But at the same time, I don’t have the same social interactions compared to what I had with my first.”

Some psychologists are concerned that , which can begin anytime within the first year after birth. According to the , before the pandemic about 10% of pregnant women and 13% of women who had just given birth experienced a mental health disorder, primarily depression. Companies can support these employees by offering resources that allow them to seek help, including virtual appointments for addressing physical and mental health.

Many employees can benefit from professional or virtual coaching for stress management, emotional support, and actionable guidance. And, especially for new parents, employers should provide clear communication about these benefits.

In addition, . can help employees create a manageable budget and pay down debt. With less to worry about when it comes to personal finances, employees have the opportunity to be at their best and most productive.

Advance Learning and Career Development Initiatives

For many new parents, returning to the workplace can remind them of their first day in the office as they face new people and ways of working. Employers can help provide a smoother transition through mentorship platforms and introductions to key team members.

And it’s important that . “Up is not the only way to grow in one’s career,” Terrence Seamon, an executive career transition consultant at The Ayers Group, .

Mentors can share learning programs to help guide their mentees, and employers can support frequent dialogue and feedback. A can provide smart recommendations for people on whom to connect with to help them develop.

Through a , employees can create a plan to help tackle issues specific to them, whether it’s returning to work after having a baby or getting up to speed on any changes that occurred in their particular area of work. Some s deliver an immersive learning experience to help employees achieve their goals.

Support and Understand Employees

During any challenge, people must be the priority for businesses. But generous benefits for new parents could make little impact on employees if companies and managers aren’t listening as well. As Rebecca put it, in her return to work she “actually felt really supported but not understood.” It’s important that your people know that, in the face of uncertainty, they will remain the backbone of business continuity.

“If you’re going to offer a benefit from a corporate level, you need to ensure that a manager can truly work with a team to let them take advantage of those benefits,” Michele said. “You know, walk the talk.”

For new parents, recognition can go a long way. “If they know that you are going the extra mile,” Michele said, “just send a quick email saying, ‘We see what you’re going through, and we appreciate you.’”

to offer support to working parents when they need it most so they can get back to best and experience wins in their personal and professional lives.

Carolyn Judge Phillip is Vice President of Corporate Marketing for 51ˇçÁ÷SuccessFactors.

This article first appeared on the 51ˇçÁ÷Global News Center.

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As we sit here at the end of July 2020, much of world is emerging from the initial COVID-19 medical emergency, but its direct and indirect impacts are far from over. Some areas have fully reopened, while in others the virus is accelerating at an even faster pace. The full damage to the global economy is yet to be felt and recovery is expected to be slow. We will deal with the social, emotional, and financial implications from the ongoing pandemic for years to come.

Although there is a great deal of uncertainty and it may be daunting to move forward when so much is unknown, there are steps businesses can take today to empower employees, ensure business continuity, and transform customer experiences.

This is why 51ˇçÁ÷has launched a new digital platform — — to provide companies the resources they need to help their employees, customers, and business operations continue to run at their best. Our digital platform includes more than 50 51ˇçÁ÷and partner solutions to address the most pressing challenges right now, stories of how our customers are adapting and thriving during COVID-19, plus practical advice and points of view to help businesses get back up and running again.

Every company’s COVID-19 journey is unique. Some companies are still focused on stabilizing cash flow to keep their employees working and business afloat. Others have seen demand for their products and services soar as consumer and business needs and behaviors have shifted during lock down. The global pandemic has exposed the vulnerabilities of highly connected demand and supply across borders and industries, and all businesses have faced challenges in getting what they need to operate. That is why we offer technology solutions and offers that are easy to get started with and quick to get up and running.

51ˇçÁ÷helps companies be:

Best for Employees

Today, employees are counting on their employers more than ever before — whether it’s helping with flexible and secure processes to reopen facilities or transitioning and maintaining new ways of remote working. With our environmental health and safety solutions and our workspace booking application, businesses can bring people back to workplaces safely and react quickly to any issues that may arise.

51ˇçÁ÷Fieldglass Talent Marketplace connects companies with multiple U.S. staffing firms at no cost so they can find temporary workers for open roles, and we have a number of solution packages to upskill and reskill employees to adapt to change and to regularly check in on how people are feeling during this time.

Best for Customers

With crisis, there often comes opportunity. As customer interactions moved predominately online and contactless, businesses have had to up level their customer experience and accelerate their digital transformation. Memories of positive and negative interactions during the pandemic will stay with consumers for a long time. Companies that are able to invest in better customer experiences – both online and in physical locations – can potentially rebound faster and grow customer loyalty.

Solutions like Qualtrics CustomerXM for Digital, which lets you capture and act on customer feedback, and 51ˇçÁ÷Customer Identity and Access Management help businesses provide the personalized experiences that customers expect.

Best for Business

Resilience and agility are key to an organization’s survival and performance during unpredictable and volatile events. While financial stability is critical to weather volatility, investing in technology helps to implement flexible processes and garner insights that will also strengthen a company’s ability to adjust for risks and take advantage of new opportunities as they arise.

51ˇçÁ÷has many solutions to help businesses get the intelligence they need to plan and optimize finance, supply chain, and procurement operations across the business, including 51ˇçÁ÷Integrated Business Planning for Supply Chain and 51ˇçÁ÷Manufacturing Integration and Intelligence. Originally announced on March 10, 2020, free access to 51ˇçÁ÷Ariba Discovery has been extended through December 31, 2020, to help buyers and suppliers access the largest business network in the world of more than 4 million suppliers in 190 countries to connect quickly and effectively, and minimize disruption caused by shipment delays, capacity issues, and increased consumer demand.

Businesses always have and always will be dealing with uncertainty and ambiguity. They need solutions that provide visibility, knowledge, and predictable outcomes.  The pandemic has accelerated the urgency to transform processes and technologies. Today’s new reality stresses the need for complete end-to-end transformation that brings society, the environment, and the economy together to find new ways to run more sustainably.

51ˇçÁ÷can help organizations, no matter the size or industry, take steps to move forward into recovery. We will regularly update content on to provide helpful information on what matters most in this rapidly changing environment.

Alicia Tillman is global chief marketing officer of SAP.

This article first appeared on the 51ˇçÁ÷News Center.

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