Covid-19 is changing our trajectory of evolution on a global scale. Staying home and limiting our industrial production for the past few months, shows great differences in our social, economic, and even environmental affairs. We are witnessing a remarkable reduction in carbon emissions, industrial wastes, and overall pollution. We are also experiencing a number of changes in our daily routines that has created a space for the emerging ‘new normal’ as we survive the Covid-19 pandemic.
Internet and Work
We cannot deny the utility of the internet today that has allowed countries to sustain their national economies,especially when we are forced to stay socially isolated. Healthcare specialists around the world are using the internet for knowledge management and best practices for the clinical applications of Covid-19 treatments. Media houses and broadcasters are using it to spread pandemic-related awareness at an astonishingly fast speed. Influencers and celebrities make use of social media platforms to create new content that is directly and indirectly, helping the global audience to usher in the ‘new normal.’ Similarly, telecommunication companies like PTCLare making sure everyone remains connected from the big cities to the remotest of towns in Pakistan.
Online Education
Long-distance learning was a concept already in use by higher education institutions around the world. However, due to Covid-19 situation, online education has now become mandatory even for the school going students globally. Thoughit does seem challengingand difficult to sustain the online education system throughout a country, but online education now seems to be the ‘new normal’ for the education sector. Even the developing countries like Pakistan have already equipped a national level online
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education system with the help of tech giants, collaborating with national broadcasting channels and Google Meet or even Zoom. PTCL, in this regard, has already initiated ‘Taleem Ghar’, an education system available for school children from 1st grade to 8th on PTCL Smart TV/ App that makes sure no child misses a class even in the pandemic.
Digital Employment
Global tech giants like Microsoft are now using hybrid working methods in Japan, where employees are given a four-day working week. Facebook is planning to hire remote workers on an immediate basis and Twitter now offers work from home to its employees on a ‘forever’ basis if they choose to. PTCL is also one example where work from home was initiated at quite an early stage of the pandemic. It had a crucial responsibility to make sure Pakistan remained connected at all times, due to which its frontline workers were given all the necessary PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) for a safe and smooth workflow. It also initiated to provide work from home facilities to their call center agents and set up accordingly. As we try to understand these new human resource planning, we can get an idea that the leading corporations around the world including Pakistan have already accepted the ‘new normal’.
Connecting the Nation
When we talk about accepting the ‘new normal’, we cannot ignore the organizational adaptation of PTCL. It is true that being a national telecommunication service provider they had to adapt quickly for Covid-19 and make Pakistan stay connected. Nonetheless, the way this organization adapted to streamline its frontline staff, ensuring consumer complaints are addressed on a priority basis for seamless connectivity, whileensuring safety of its employees and customers, speaks a lot about the way the company has evolved to become customer centric. PTCL showed its mettle when it used all the resources to itsmaximum efficiency whether it was personnel, technology, infrastructural assets, or corporate social responsibility activities.
Online Healthcare Services
The national telehealth portal, initiated by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, is helping the citizens survive the pandemic in the best way possible. Telehealth portal is a one of a kind Covid-19 help center,which is supervised by thousands of local and overseas Pakistani Doctors and healthcare specialists. This portal allows users to get direct information from registered doctors regarding pandemic and personal symptoms that may be linked to the Coronavirus.Along with other contributors, PTCL again was the key collaborator for this initiative.
Despite the challenges that come with the ‘new normal’, telecom service providers like PTCL have made it easier for us to cope and come to terms with the changing times. Let us hope that we are able to come out soon from this pandemic and start rebuilding our nation to great heights.
Stay home, stay safe!
