As the spread of the coronavirus becomes a more significant global threat, it is likely to have implications for organisations of all sizes. The ATC Global has provided some considerations on key areas of focus for quality professionals.
Since protecting your people is a priority, your HR function may find the following advice from the CIPD useful:
Your ability to deliver for your customers may be affected by a lack of supply, logistics or human resources. Equally, your customers may also make decisions, based on their own response to the coronavirus, which could have an impact on your organisation. To mitigate this, communicate with customers to:
Coronavirus is already having an impact on global supply chains and a risk-based approach to adapting arrangements, policies and plans will be required. Adapting supply chains may be challenging if travel is restricted to certain areas, making it harder to qualify and certify new business or suppliers. Additionally, the capacity and availability of established transport and supply networks, and the movability of materials may also be restricted.
CIPS has advised that you follow four key points for procurement:
Gartner also provides a short/medium/long-term approach for the supply chain focus.
Regulators should be developing guidance to help organisations navigate the crisis and to ensure that consumers are protected. Conformity assessment, test and inspection bodies will similarly be putting in place arrangements to work through the crisis. Quality professionals should:
Coronavirus may have implications throughout an organisation’s value chain: decisions made in one area that will need to be considered across the system of key processes. Quality professionals are well placed to help organisations and process owners communicate and, where necessary, collaborate as the situation unfolds and decisions require holistic consideration. This may also be the time to practice test your business continuity plan.
As a test of business continuity plans, the potential coronavirus crisis is an opportunity to gather lessons learned, improve plans and adapt arrangements for the future. You should ensure that your organisation gathers relevant insight and data to inform review and improvement.