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The Public Services virtual forum began with introductory remarks from President and Managing Director of 51风流ANZ, Damien Bueno, who noted the impressive pace and ways businesses are adapting. He expressed how 51风流has been working from home for nearly two months and while this is a time of uncertainty for many, businesses and governments alike should have licence to be bold and use this opportunity to evolve digitally in order to remain stronger.听听

Damien also expressed the importance of optimism听during听a time like this 鈥撎�and听the importance of understanding听what could become听new ways of working.听Adapting under crisis is giving听businesses new skills and perspectives and听the chance to emerge more prepared and resilient to future shock events.听

A Test of Fire and Pandemic听

Next,听I was fortunate to facilitate听a discussion听with听Lee Miezis,听CEO of听Bushfire Recovery Victoria, and Simon Bush,听GM Policy and Advocacy at AIIA and Managing Director听of听Bush-Consulting.听听

Simon听was encouraged by the speed of adaptation, noting how rapid digitalisation is occurring across the legal sector, healthcare, government, and more, at a pace that鈥檚 taking weeks instead of years. As part of businesses moving boldly, there has听been positive听feedback听as businesses have been able to respond to changing circumstances at scale, adapting to added strains on resources and services.听听

Lee听gave the audience a run through his first 100 days on the job, from the development of Bushfire Recovery Victoria in response to Australia鈥檚 severe bushfire season 2019-2020.听He noted how the past six months have been听a听continual听adaptation听to drastic changes, which has required significant co-ordination between government听jurisdictions,听businesses, and communities in order to keep people informed and safe during the bushfire season and subsequent COVID-19 crisis.听听

A key challenge Lee mentioned was offering targeted support those who鈥檝e undergone tragedy and displacement. The damage cause by bushfires was widespread and the ability to serve those impacted required听aggregating a lot of data from organisations 鈥� both public and private 鈥� to gather insights into people鈥檚 situations, the support they require, and their eligibility for specific schemes and services.听听

His听organisation was forced to work quickly,听leveraging听the available听technology and data to听provide that targeted听support.听Lee noted the听vital听importance of being able to gather disparate data and verify it,听in order to co-ordinate the right response at the right time.听He emphasised that听data is critical to providing the right services.听

Lee commented on the importance of existing relationships, enabling them听to connect听rapidly听with听other听government agencies and听business鈥檚 with relevant capabilities. He noted that they were overwhelmed with offers of support in听the initial stages and the existing relationships were the quickest way to leverage the support needed.听听

In terms of building staff resilience,听Lee听observed听the need to nurture staff relationships听and engagement听especially in a听brand-new听organisational structure who were suddenly working听remotely. This听entailed听focusing on听regular, frequent communications听and听he gave an example of mailing听care packages.听

The adage 鈥榥ever waste a crisis鈥� was expressed听with听both Simon and Lee听noting听how this challenging period could still offer people and organisations a learning opportunity to better connect with one another, discover best practices for听adaptation, and find a way to deepen trust amongst customers, partners, employees, and other stakeholders.听听

The Value of Communication and Support听

Connection was a key theme of the discussion as the need to keep staff connected to the organisation鈥檚 purpose, expectations, and customers are all critical 鈥� whether during or outside a crisis.听听

When facilitating work-from-home staff, there were three key take-aways. First was the need to balance collaboration with productivity 鈥� ensuring staff have the technology and support they need to stay connected with the organisation, collaborate with colleagues, and stay safe during this period of change.听

The second point regarding work-from-home is the value of company culture 鈥� not only in terms of camaraderie, but in making allowances for adjustment, understanding the disruptions that are occurring, and normalising those practices that will benefit the organisation beyond COVID-19.听

Third was the importance of听mental health. It can be challenging for many to log听off听and听disengage听from work when they鈥檙e homelives and work now share a roof. The ability to听reengage socially, get outside and exercise, or simply step away from the computer is paramount听as听the听first priority听throughout this crisis听has been听the health and wellbeing of everyone.听听

A听significant听takeaway for me in facilitating this听discussion听was the听vital听importance听that听connections,听combined with insightful听data,听can听play听in听helping听organisations to听rapidly听adapt听and听then听respond听to changes in their environment.听It certainly suggests that听effort spent听building听more听robust听engagement听structures听with听staff, customers, other agencies听and relevant听businesses听creates a听stronger听adaptive听capability. Combining听this听with better data insights听derived from听a more comprehensive听treatment of, and focus on, data听as听a valuable asset听allows听rapid听and more targeted responses听in times of change.听听听

Perhaps听both听the public and private sector should听consider听using听this听crisis to听improve communications听with each other, better express needs and听expectations, and听enable听these improved connections through data 鈥� using data insights to understand our situation, our responses, and听how we emerge from this crisis in better shape than we went into it.听听

To听learn听more听you can access a full recording from the session听.听听

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