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Most business people don't like change. They like things to stay the same. However, the new reality means you can't keep doing what you’ve always done and hope that everything is going to be okay. You can't go into this blindly.

If you are working your way through the steps of this COVID-19 process, we hope you are making some progress. And remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint. You don’t have to do all five steps this week.

As we suggested in our first article, an analysis of your current business situation must consider your internal and external environment. A business will grow when, on the one hand, it has efficient and cost-effective internal processes, and on the other, great new offerings that clients want to buy and are happy to recommend to others

As more information becomes available about how the country and the economy rebuilds as the lockdown restrictions are eased, some of the bigger strategic decisions will become clearer. Regardless of how long it takes for things to return to ‘normal’, businesses need to look inwards before directing their focus outwards.

This week will hopefully see New Zealand take the first small steps on a return to something resembling normality after the four-week lockdown on Alert Level Four. Regardless of how the government handles the transition out of lockdown, it will be a new normal and a new reality — that much is obvious.

With the spread of Covid-19 across multiple continents, a contemporary endemic disease has seen the world experience its most recent pandemic. As at 3.30pm on the 16th of April the total number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand was 1,401.

There are a myriad of government measures to help support the business community while the rest of New Zealand concentrates on saving lives by observing the lockdown. The government’s objective is twofold. Firstly, to reduce the risk of businesses going under as well. Secondly, to maintain a healthy workforce so the business community can restart the economy once the restrictions are lifted.

On March 17, the Government announced a wage subsidy to support businesses affected by the Covid-19 crisis, particularly those struggling to meet their obligations to their employees. Here’s what you need to know about the wage subsidy.​​