What Is the One Thing That Was Unmissable in 2020?

2020 has arguably been the most challenging year for businesses and employees – mostly thanks to COVID-19. The pandemic definitely impacted a few businesses. Offices started employing work-from-home schemes. Virtual calls became the primary interaction mode, and employees struggled with mental health issues.

Working with clients across various verticals, experts from PRecious Communications weigh in on the one thing that made 2020 unmissable. What made your 2020 unforgettable?

The camaraderie among our teams

This year has been a catalyst in many ways. For example, many businesses had to make tough decisions. Many were probably somewhat overdue, with COVID and the economic trigger effects being rather accelerators than just core reasons. But what stood out for me this year of uncertainty and constant changes was the camaraderie among our teams – a new level of open conversations and trust. As we started peeking into all of each other’s lives and homes, we grew closer as a team while being forced to distance physically.

Contributed by Lars Voedisch, Founder and Managing Director

Being a coach to yourself, and not a critic

Contributed by Prayaank Gupta, Vice President, Growth & Innovation

2020: The year the ‘home’ became the ‘office’

This is the year the ‘home’ became the ‘office’. For years, we spoke about work-life balance. This year, the conversation veered towards work-work balance, considering many of us struggled to demarcate the personal from the professional space – within our homes.

However, for most technology brands, this was also a landmark year. A pivotal moment in modern history where the pandemic’s impact did many pre-sales leg work for them. From accelerating digital transformation (yes, that term is still around; more profound this year), providing the ultimate proof of concept for cloud-based technologies and nudging the laggards to take a closer look at technology investments and adoption. And staying digitally secure, while doing all of that.

However, there was a yang to the yin as well. The industry had to deal with the pandemic’s negative impact too – from inflationary risk on products, uncertain market dynamics, a disrupted raw materials supply chain, and more. They had to be agile and innovative to de-risk the end-to-end value chain.

Technology brands also appreciated the importance of staying ahead in the race to top-of-mind recall. This was not the year to slow down or slip up. To stay top of mind, they had to stay the course or in several cases, up the PR quotient to great results. Well, we always said that public relations work.

Contributed by Rajiv Menon, Practice Head, Edge

Businesses challenged in the face of COVID-19

The COVID-19 situation has caused significant disruptions in business operations. Industry sectors such as tourism, F&B, and aviation have taken the hardest hit. The emergence of COVID-19 has truly jeopardised the service sector — with lockdowns causing service businesses to rethink the value chain.

Contributed by Busakorn Srisongkhroh, Thailand Market Lead

The world – thrown in a state of unpreparedness 

The world remains utterly unprepared to deal with COVID-19. It was a plot twist no one saw coming in decades. Many countries globally, including Malaysia, found themselves in a crisis, resulting in many business disruptions.

COVID-19 has tested many of us, bringing about various mental health implications such as fear, anxiety, grief, and depression. But more importantly, COVID-19 has unexpectedly changed our perception of daily life, and brought about new and modern methods of working from home and connecting with loved ones and friends virtually. What helped most of us plough through the ordeal was maintaining a positive work/ life balance and having a support system. Those regular virtual check-ins with colleagues and friends ensured that our mind, body, and soul were in check while in isolation.

Although these changes may be outside our control, we still have to take care of everyone’s health and safety, including mental health. It is a stressful time for all of us now. We have to continue embracing good practices to ensure that we are all emotionally and mentally sound in the new normal.

Contributed by Kiranjeet Sidhu, Client Services Director, Malaysia

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