Post-Pandemic Project Blues: Reflections on Our New Normal

  Career Development   Talent Management  

Of the many pandemic-related stories, we would like to highlight this one as it shows the pain induced by COVID-19. It is the story of a public-sector organization with thousands of employees that went askew during the pandemic.

What functioned like an effective and well-oiled machine before early 2020 hit roadblocks and lost productivity. This caused a massive backlog of applications for new and renewal of passports. The media blamed a burned-out and slacked-off workforce for the shortfalls in productivity. This is just one example of how the pandemic exerted incredible pressure on the people and society.

Recently, we asked a friend who is a lead in an IT projectized environment about the effects of COVID-19 on his organization. He conceded that the projects before the initial shutdown four years ago still linger on—and are moving slowly as many employees opted for early retirement.

The delayed projects are causing cost overruns and significant inconveniences. No new projects are in the pipeline due to budgetary/funding restraints and scarcity of expertise. The workforce has low morale and no incentive to be productive.

We now know that COVID-19 fatigue is real, and its long-term effects continue to exacerbate all aspects of society. In many ways, the challenges caused by the pandemic were profound. Big and small businesses suffered badly; some died a sudden …

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