如何在疫情中管理企業，並從中脫穎而出?

新竹豐邑喜來登飯店執行長Cecily Liu

Managing a Business in this time and positioning it to emerge stronger from the pandemic

– Cecily Liu. CEO at Sheraton Hsinchu Hotel

妳如何面對因為疫情引起的經濟趨緩?

How are you managing the current economic slowdown due to the pandemic? 

新竹喜來登酒店的主要客層為半導體產業的商務旅行者。今年2月初，我們實施了許多措施，像是購買許多個人防疫用品，來確保旅客和員工的健康與安全。我們也與政府機構密切聯繫，確保團隊準確擁有疫情相關的正確資訊，並能從政府端獲得對旅遊業的財務支持。

The clientele at Sheraton Hsinchu are mainly business travellers from the semi-conductor industry. By early February this, we had already implemented procedures to ensure that guests and staff will be safe, including but not limited to investing in supplies of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). We also reached out to the government agencies in order to ensure that the team had accurate updates of information relating to COVID, and to be positioned to receive financial support for the tourism industry from the government.

不以裁員應對危機，而是利用這段時間重組業務和團隊技能，並做好超前的準備。不削減人事成本，而是重新分配任務，並嘗試新的商業模式，例如為飯店內的餐廳提供店面取貨，並舉辦優惠活動促進國內旅遊的商機。

Rather than laying off employees to cut costs, we have been taking the opportunity to restructure operations and the skills set of the team, and to use the down time to prepare ahead. Rather than cutting headcount, we have reassigned tasks and experimented with new initiatives such as curbside pickups for the restaurants located in the hotel and having promotions to attract domestic travellers to the hotel.

身為一個家族企業，在疫情間有什麼優勢呢?

What are the benefits of being a family business in this time? 

新竹喜來登背後的集團是家族企業，而家族企業的優點在這場疫情中也變得顯而易見。我們仍然需要做出許多艱難的決定，包括在高管層實施減薪，目的是希望能在疫情期間盡可能保留原有的員工。作為家族企業，我們具有能夠透明、迅速做出決定的優勢，而不必需花費長時間來達成共識，畢竟在艱辛的疫情期間，「速度」絕對是至關重要的。

The group is a family run business, and the advantages of that become apparent in this crisis. Tough calls still had to be made, including implementing a pay cut at executive level, but this was with the goal of sustaining as many employees as possible through this time. Being an owner operated businesses, we also had the advantage of being able to decide swiftly and in a transparent manner rather than waiting for consensus, and in this scenario, speed is of the essence. 

其中一些做法，也正好與我們準備在台中開幕的 MOXY 飯店配搭，例如培訓團隊具備更多功能性，以及精益營運能力。雖然疫情的發生，推遲了好幾個月 MOXY 的開幕時間，必須到今年9月左右才能正式營運，但這也使員工有機會進行跨團隊的學習。MOXY 是以千禧世代為目標客群的品牌，並且盡可能設定為自助式的服務模式。因為所需員工數少、人事成本低，使原先喜來登飯店的員工能夠改變舊習慣，並學習如何更有效地營運飯店。

Some of these practices such as training the teams to be multi-functional and having lean operations, is also synonymous with our opening of MOXY Taichung. Whilst the pandemic has delayed the opening of MOXY by a couple of months to September this year, it has also allowed staff the opportunity for cross learning. The MOXY brand targets millennials, and the hotel is setup to be a self serve model as much as possible. Overheads are lower, and less staff is needed. This arrangement has allowed the Sheraton staff to change old habits and learn how to operate more efficiently.

面對疫情後的世界，妳是否有做了些準備?

What preparations are you making for the new normal, post pandemic? 

飯店業勢必在未來好一段時間會有所變化，因此我們需要預備好自己，用不同的方式處理、解決事情。首先，我們需要確保團隊有信心，知道我們終會從疫情中更強壯地走出來。我們也透過重新培訓、振興核心團隊，以及舉辦許多使團隊保持積極和正向的活動等，來實現這一個目標。

Hospitality will change for the foreseeable future, so we need to be prepared to do things differently. Firstly, we need to ensure that the team has the confidence that we will emerge from this pandemic stronger. We are achieving this by retraining and rejuvenating the core team, as well as planning activities for the team to stay positive and mindful. 

其次，我們也升級了喜來登飯店的硬體設施，例如翻新宴會廳並植入新系統來整合營運。我們認為未來要舉辦婚禮的情侶，會更願意自己創造專屬的婚禮體驗。例如用 iPad 創建自己的婚禮音樂歌單，來取代聘請 DJ 現場表演。這些都是我們在硬體和設置規劃上，所進行的一些更改。

Secondly, we are upgrading the facilities at the Sheraton, e.g., renovating the hotel ballroom and implementing systems that will integrate operations. We believe that going forwards, couples would prefer to be in control and create their own wedding experience. For instance, rather than hiring a dj, they might want to create their own playlist just by using an iPad. These are the kind of changes that we are making to our hardware and setup. 

第三，在升級硬體之餘，我們也致力於加強軟體設施，以及加強我們的員工。現在是挑戰飯店經營模式，並對關鍵員工進行再培訓的好時機- 疫情侵襲的後果非常清楚地顯示，「高觸感產業」如飯店業，經營上的改變是勢在必行的。

Thirdly, apart from upgrading the hardware, we are also working on software or our people. This is a good time to challenge the set ways of running a hotel and reeducate key staff – the consequences of the virus very clearly illustrates that for high touch businesses such as hospitality, change is needed. 

疫情後的機會在哪裡?

國際獵頭、【2030轉職地圖】作者 Sandy Su 蘇盈如

Opportunities emerging from the pandemic

– Headhunter, Author of  Sandy Su’s Recruitment Note,   Sandy Su 

這次的新冠肺炎疫情，導致許多企業遭到市場淘汰，而將風險降到最小的企業，幾乎早在十多年前便針對 VUCA 年代慢慢實施改革與創新。VUCA 這個術語源於軍事用語，由四個單字組成── Volatility（易變性）、Uncertainty（不確定性）、Complexity（複雜性）、Ambiguity（模糊性）。

The COVID pandemic has caused many companies to be annihilated from the market. Companies that have some form of risk management structure in place today, have been slowly implementing reforms and innovations in preparation for such a VUCA situation since a decade ago. The term VUCA is derived from military terms and consists of four words – Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity.

科技改變了我們的生活，既有的標準答案再也無法 100％ 解決突然其來的課題。為了能夠迎接這些未知挑戰，創新的人才與企業成為這次疫情中的閃亮主角。要打造一組充滿創作力的團隊，與企業文化、組織文化有密集的關係，例如 Google、Amazon、Facebook 的彈性工作文化就是這次疫情的最佳寫照。

Technology has changed our lives, and the existing business management solutions as we know it is unable to address sudden problems or what we might call ‘black swan events’. In order to be able to survive these unknown challenges, innovative talent and enterprises have become the shining examplars of this pandemic. It is necessary to build a team with creativity and have an organisational culture that promotes team work and close relationships. For example, the flexible work culture of Google, Amazon and Facebook are good examples.

過往的中小企業忽略了遠距工作與彈性文化的重要，認為那是國際型企業的作風，並沒有將視野放得那麼遠。然而，毫無預警的疫情，讓這些一代或二代的經營者重新檢視這個過去不太被重視的議題，開始將重心放在數位轉型上。

In the past, small and medium-sized enterprises ignored the importance of remote work and of embracing a culture of flexibility, perhaps placing more emphasis on growing to become an international enterprise. However, this unexpected pandemic has allowed these generations of business operators to re-examine the issue of digital transformation, something that they did not previously think was of high importance. 

回到問題──新冠疫情帶來的工作機會？

Back to the question- what are the job opportunities brought about by the pandemic?

疫情迫使許多改革緩慢或尚未改革的企業必須直接面對問題、做出改變。第一代經營者對於遠距工作、虛擬化這些名詞非常陌生；他們將重心放在生產力上，或許在產能上能夠管理成熟，但當所有商業活動全球停擺，卻無法立即應對。因此，面對數位轉型，最快的解決方法就是直接採用有即戰力的人才。

The epidemic has forced many companies that have been slow to adapt to face their digital inadequacy now and make changes while they still can. The first-generation operators are very new to the terms of remote work and virtual meetings; they have always placed emphasis on productivity and of operating at capacity, but in so doing they have been unable respond promptly and with flexibility to the global slowdown of business activities.

In the face of digital transformation, the fastest solution is to directly employ experienced talents or outsource. 

以這次疫情為例，積極徵人的產業會是科技業及醫療產業。再來需要面臨改革的企業，都充滿工作機會。對工作者來說，如何變成企業需要的人才，是維持職場競爭力的核心。除了技術能力外，擁有「統整力」、「應變力」、「創造力」的人才，將成為企業重整的首選。而團隊的領導者，必須能夠有開發團隊的潛力，不能只是將重心放在生產力上。

Taking this pandemic as an example, the industries that are actively recruiting people are in IT services and the medical industry. There will also be companies that need to implement or outsource digital services, will have job opportunities. For job seekers, how to become the talent needed by the company is the core of maintaining one’s competitiveness. 

In addition to technical capabilities, job seekers who are good team placers, resilient and creative will be sought after. Rather than just focusing on productivity, highly valued talents should be able to adapt and develop the business or organisation as needed. 

策略領導- 創意力與設計思考

Strategic Leadership – Creativity and Design Thinking

管理大師杜拉克說過，「企業的第一任務是創造客戶」，換句話說就是解決客戶的問題。經濟來臨就是符合需求，企業的課題是尋找更安全的經濟方式讓產業持續存在，才能繼續維持事業的營運。以這次疫情來說：國際奢侈品品牌更注重網購平台、五星級飯店推出便當模式、餐飲業改為製作冷凍包或即時食品。

Management guru Peter Drucker said, “The Purpose of a Business is to Create a Customer”. Presented differently, it means to solve customer problems. The economy serves to meet the needs of consumers. The enterprise’s task is to maintain business operations profitably. In this pandemic, international luxury brands have paid more attention to online shopping platforms, top restaurants have launched lunch sets and delivery menus, and the catering industry has started making frozen and prepacked food.

每位工作者持續磨練個人的軟性技能── 4C（Communication、Critical Thinking、Creativity、Collaboration），才能深度發展自我核心能力，為組織內部帶來創新，成為跨界的搶手人才。

至於如何加強軟性技能，我認為沒有一個標準的方法。但可以從「持續學習」與探索方向的過程中來累積。

Each employee can continue to hone his personal soft skills-4C (Communication, Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration), in order to deeply develop his core capabilities, bring innovation to the organization, and become a sought-after talent.

As for how to strengthen soft skills, there is a standard approach but it can be developed if one is self-motivated in the process of “continuous learning”.