As both a member of the IRM Society (Information and Records Management Society) and a sponsor of the IRMS Conference OASIS Group were due to be in Birmingham this week for the annual conference programme and festivities.
Due to COVID-19 the conference has rightly been moved to ensure the safety of delegates, sponsors, speakers and other attendees. Whilst the conference may have moved dates the theme is very much appropriate for the times we currently find ourselves in.
“Information & Data: The Heart of Your Organisation”
This has never been truer, or more obvious, than right now with the world reliant on data being accessible to Team Members working from home, or Frontline workers requiring data from colleagues that they can no longer see face-to-face.
It is easy to forget just how reliant we are on information and data when it is available within easy reach (both physically and digitally). Furthermore, data has become so prevalent in business that we are in danger of having ‘too much’ data to deal with.
For many organisations home working had never seemed an option to consider, as we all navigate through our ‘new normal’ however working practices are constantly being reassessed. Processes or procedures we thought most appropriate for our businesses or organisations are now being questioned, not because they were wrong, but are they the best options for us in 2020 and beyond.
Herein lies the question that I have been pondering;
Will COVID-19 impact how organisations shape business strategy to place Information & Data at the heart of their organisation?
The answer I come to is simply, yes. But this isn’t just a simple question, it opens up so many more;
- what changes will be made?
- how will they be implemented?
- when will they come into effect?
- will there be regulatory implications?
- will budgets be increased to support new initiatives?
It would be impossible to answer all of these questions in one specific way for every industry or fit each individual business into a neat standardised action plan. For starters the data we hold or analyse varies by not only sector or industry, but by the individual companies that make up our economies.
Shift to digital
As a business we have seen a shift towards digital services in industries or sectors that were previously tentative about committing to a digital transformation strategy. That is not to say these organisations did not want to implement digital strategies, they very much did, instead they were cautious in selecting which strategy would work for them around existing processes and procedures.
The COVID-19 pandemic has removed these roadblocks as the existing processes and procedures are no longer fit for the current business environment, most notably home working. Whether this paradigm shift is our ‘new normal’ will become more evident over the coming months and years.
Whatever happens we know that professional members of the IRM Society will be doing their best to drive positive change within their organisations. As is the case with information and records management professionals across the globe I am sure.
Your thoughts
We are interested to hear your thoughts on how COVID-19 will impact organisations in shaping business strategy to place Information & Data at the heart of their organisation. Join the conversation via social media.
About the author
Jade is the Group Marketing, PR and Communications Director at OASIS Group. She has worked in the information management industry for almost a decade and writes on a majority of topics, including ESG and sustainability which is a personal passion of hers.