Five Critical Things African Tech Companies Must Do Post-Pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has forcibly changed our normal routines. The same is true for businesses of all stripes, who have had to adjust as restrictions are put into place to slow the spread of the outbreak. In the process, much of the global economy has ground to a halt.

The tech industry, however, has not slowed down due to the pandemic. With people told to work from home and stay away from others, the pandemic has deepened reliance on services from the technology industry’s biggest companies.

The change has been so sudden and dramatic that it is calling into question how or even if businesses will ever go back to the way they previously operated.

Amidst the situation, African Tech companies have not stopped working. They have times without number dazzled us with innovations and technologies that can make life comfortable for us. Tech companies have played a significant role both in keeping businesses afloat and tackling the crisis itself.

We could talk of Ghana Tech Lab, an open collaborative Space for competent Digital skills training, seeding Innovations, and Growing Startups. They are committed to equipping individuals and organizations with the necessary skills they require to increase their productivity. Over the past year, the tech company dedicatedly trained over a thousand Ghanaian youths, molding them into startups and equipping them adequately for employability.

Still, even in a post-Covid-19 world, the hard work of the tech industry will not be over. To stay on top of a changing marketplace, African tech companies need to take action to prepare now. Here are five critical things African tech companies must do post-pandemic

Focus on digital workforce

Everything is digital and the post-pandemic world will not be any different. This means tech companies must invest in technologies that can work alongside human employees will to reduce the spread of the virus. The shifts method can be adopted and virtual assistant tools can be deployed to make things easier and safer

Get in tune with changing customer behaviors.

To thrive in a post-Covid-19 world, it is more important than ever for tech leaders to be in tune with rapidly changing customer behaviors. New data shows 53% of consumers say their values have changed amid the crisis. Understanding their needs directly—not just through surveys or analytical tools—and responding to their demands will help leaders better meet their changing needs for the long term. - Jeff Wong, EY (Forbes)

Focus on communication with employees.

Now more than ever, employees expect authentic and consistent communications from leadership. IT must open new remote channels that can handle increasing amounts of video and audio streams without creating security vulnerabilities. We’re seeing an increased premium on solutions with API foundations that can solve front- and back-end streaming challenges while delivering a low cost of ownership. - Jen Grogono, uStudio (Forbes)

Focus on remote working

COVID-19 has taught us that there is no border to talents and skills. As such, efficiently managing diverse talent from various regions will be essential. To be on top of their games, African tech companies must accept the idea of remote working and retain the best talent regardless of location and establish cultural norms of diversity and inclusion.

Focus on your team’s mental well-being.

Feelings of wellbeing are fundamental to the overall health of an individual, enabling them to successfully overcome difficulties and achieve what they want out of life. The COVID-19 pandemic has come to put a toll on the mental health of many workers as some have had to quit or work amidst the situation. Developing different programs for emotional support, talking to the teams more, and making sure everyone feels all right are the small steps that we can take to make sure that our teams feel secure in the moments of future crises.