Remember when open floor plans were the business world’s solution to collaboration and innovation? The concept of promoting collaboration was well-intended, but the idea of sitting mere inches from your colleagues seems foreign now and may become the stuff of urban legends. 

It is easy to “bubble up” these days, to find yourself in a routine of siloed work, interacting mostly with the same group of teammates and colleagues. Instead of battling the annoyance of the office loud-talker, now we’re navigating Zoom fatigue.

The COVID driven rapid change to business and life as we knew it has forced whiplash inducing adjustments. After celebrating that we’ve made it this far, we should funnel the survival instincts of the early days of the pandemic toward driving new revenue opportunities for the long term. The companies that are positioning themselves for continued success are resourceful, creative, resilient and innovative.  If the world as we know it is changing, why not take advantage of the innovation environment HBR recently highlighted and prepare your company for whatever comes next? Here are a few tips for fostering a more innovative environment:

Whether you’re thriving or just focused on surviving in business in these tumultuous times, there are a few key activities you should consider:

For every story we hear about firms struggling to stay afloat during recessionary times, there’s a firm that is managing to survive and, in many cases, thrive. What’s their secret?

With most of the world still on lockdown, 2020 events cancelled and business travel at a near standstill, we are nearing unprecedented levels of video chats, webinars and podcasts.

There’s been a lot of debate around what’s differentiating companies that are faring well during the pandemic versus those that are struggling. Obviously products, offerings and the ability to pivot, if needed, play an important role in a company’s success, but commercial activities are critical too. We asked a few industry sales leaders to share what they’re doing to drive their teams’ success right now. Here’s what they’re up to:

A wave of new graduates and those affected by COVID layoffs, combined with companies in hiring freezes or slow playing their hiring cycles, equals a flooded talent market. Great news for companies who are still hiring, right? Maybe not.

While small businesses are especially vulnerable to the financial impact of the coronavirus, organizations of all sizes are trying to stay on top of the changing economic landscape. Whether you’re battling beyond pandemic paralysis, or you’re arming yourself with information “just in case," here are 3 financial tips to help you manage cash flow:

If you’re flummoxed by how to sell or market through COVID-19, you’re not alone. That said, it doesn’t mean we should stop trying to figure it out. As with any major disruption, “business as usual” is likely to result in tone deaf outreach. I find that companies are in 1 of 3 modes right now.

If you’re on the hunt for additional profit, your current product portfolio may hold more treasure than you realize. Whether it’s identifying new buyer segments, increasing margins, identifying areas to leverage technology or identifying products primed for divesting, there may be a number of spots marked with an X on your product map. Here are 4 ways to optimize your current product portfolio: