July 1, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought calamity around the world, affecting the daily human and business activities. As at the end of June 2020, there were over 505,000 confirmed Covid-19 related deaths, with a positive note of over 5.21 million recovered cases1 globally. On the African continent however, the number of affected people for the period under review has increased to over 390.000 confirmed cases, while death cases recorded at close to 10.000 and are expected to rise.
COVID-19 is having a major impact on businesses’ key resource, Human Capital, which is also regarded as one of the major assets within an organisation2. When organizations prioritize this asset, they in return produce better leaders, more effective managers with better decision-making skills, all resulting in greater returns on investment. It is prudent to establish all the necessary measures in place to safeguard this resource. The World Health Organization has advised and emphasized on the importance of wearing face masks, constant washing and sanitizing of the hands and respecting social distancing to curb the spread of the virus. Organizations can put in place a number of policies and plans to further safeguard the health and well-being of their employees.