ST. LOUIS — Chances are many of us know a business owner who's struggling, trying to survive Covid-19 while making difficult decisions based on evolving, complex science, even the politics of wearing a mask.
Has it ever been harder to be a business leader?
In every business, industry or government, leaders are getting a crisis management crash course, in an effort not to crash. The speed and scope of COVID-19 means leaders have to make difficult decisions, working to keep employees and customers safe and their organizations afloat, instead of sinking or going out of business.
Integrity Web Consulting is a 20-year-old company in the U-City Loop.
"We design and develop web solutions, web technology solutions for our clients," Integrity partner Ed Morrissey said.
Integrity’s offices have been empty for months, but when all you need is a computer screen and internet access to conduct business, it means the company never shuts down. All employees are working from home and they probably won’t return to Integrity headquarters until there is a vaccine for COVID-19.
"John and I just said none of us are coming back until it's a hundred percent safe. So everyone, let's just plan on working from home," Morrisey said.
Integrity CEO John Simanowitch acknowledges that his company has an advantage over businesses where working remotely isn't possible, which made it easier to put employees first.
"Be absolutely respectful of those people who you are in charge of," Simanowitch said. "Understand what they're going through. Find a way to support them during this, and create any amount of certainty that you can, which is largely why we closed the office. Don't worry about that anymore."
Meanwhile, other business leaders are turning to Integrity because the so-called “new normal” often involves new tech solutions to do business because of the pandemic.
"We have talked to a lot of businesses, a of organizations who are calling us and saying, 'hey, how do I adjust to this new normal? What web based tool can we build or implement, that will allow me to continue my business in a contactless way, or a digital only manner,'" Morrissey said.
In simple terms, COVIC-19 is a leadership test, and Morrissey believes the pandemic may result in leadership evolution.
"The best leaders are the authentic leaders who care, you know, who are kind and who know to treat everyone the way that they want to be treated," Morissey said. "And I think you're going to see a new wave of leaders in organizations step up based on how they handle this pandemic."