85% of Canadian businesses improved operations amid COVID-19

The pandemic has prompted organizations to evolve their business models rapidly

BY Rachel Ranosa 29 Oct. 2020

Despite facing economic setbacks in the COVID-19 pandemic, 85% of Canadian businesses have improved their operations or pursued new opportunities, according to senior managers polled by Robert Half Canada.

“Most businesses are finding bright spots amid the gloom of the pandemic,” data from the global staffing firm suggest.

The pandemic has prompted organizations to evolve their business models rapidly to ensure continuity amid the crisis, said David King, Canadian senior district president of Robert Half. In the past several months, organizations have:

Redesigned job roles (43%)
Moved forward with digital transformation (39%)
Enhanced an existing service (33%)
Implemented or improved e-commerce functionality (29%)
Increased focus on data analytics (28%)
Adopted a new business model (28%)
Launched a new product line or service (23%)

“In most cases, digital transformation has become a necessity for companies whether that be the incorporation of new and emerging technologies, adapting existing business models or launching new services and initiatives to both maintain and generate new streams of revenue,” King said.

The changes made in response to the global health emergency have also helped organizations reap new benefits, such as:

More frequent communication from leadership (41%)
Improved collaboration within and across teams (36%)
Better rapport between managers and staff (30%)
Greater transparency and visibility into business priorities (27%)
More efficient processes resulting in faster turnaround times (27%)
More innovation (26%)

“Teams have had to navigate a tremendous amount of change since the start of the pandemic,” King said. “To help ensure their staff stays informed and engaged, particularly while working remotely, many leaders are increasing communication and supporting collaboration.”