Posted by Texas, USA: Michael Dell, founder and CEO – Dell Technologies has penned his thoughts on coronavirus, the new normal and business in a letter to employees.
Coronavirus
In his letter, Michael Dell said that he’s been grounded for nearly five months and waiting to get everything normal but is not going to happen anytime soon.
“…like everyone, I’ve been grounded for nearly five months — riding out the pandemic and waiting for everything to get back to normal. But what we’re all coming to realize is that whatever or whenever normal happens, it isn’t going to be anytime soon,” Dell wrote in his letter.
While coronavirus has been termed as a novel, Dell said that ‘novel virus’ came with ‘novel ways to live and work and communicate.’
“When this started, there was a sense of novelty. The novel coronavirus also came with novel ways to live and work and communicate…”
“Now, the novelty is wearing thin. We’re all done with coronavirus, but unfortunately, the virus isn’t done with us.”
He compared this virus led situation with a ‘marathon’ — calling it ‘uneven and frustrating at times.’
“This is going to be a marathon and it’s going to be uneven and frustrating at times. Some of our sites are opening… others are not. Some schools will start in person and others will not…”
The New Normal
The 55 year- old American entrepreneur said that the new normal requires ‘to be incredibly flexible, agile and patient’ and need to take a ‘longer-term view.’
“…as hot spots flare up and down over the coming months, local situations will quickly change. We are all going to have to be incredibly flexible, agile and patient,”
“Patient with each other and patient with ourselves and our families. And we are going to have to take a longer-term view of the new normal,” he wrote.
Reorienting Business
Michael Dell informed that since March his company has kept its business running, delivering essential services and solutions to customers. But now it is focusing on ‘reorienting business towards new customer priorities.’
“Now we’re reorienting our business toward new customer priorities, aligning with our customers’ needs to continue to do it fast and to also to do it right for the long-term transformation of their businesses. Our work and family situations also need to be secure and sustainable,” he wrote.
Flexibility and working remotely
The billionaire businessman and philanthropist also touched upon the significance of flexibility and working remotely during COVID-19.
“COVID-19 has made one thing clear – work is something you do, an outcome, not a place or a time. We want you to have the flexibility to weather this storm safely and productively, however long it lasts.”
“In many cases, we’ve seen that you can be more productive working remotely. I encourage you to talk with your managers about what flexibility you and your families may need. It will likely look different for each of us, and that’s OK,” he wrote.
Dell said that the next phase will rely on ‘resilience and grit’ and imbibing human values is more important than in the past.
“This next phase will be all about resilience and grit – and we’re going to have to dig deeper into that well of goodwill and kindness and generosity, which are going to be more important than ever.”
Dell ended his letter expressing his gratitude towards his company’s employees and remained optimistic on ‘collective spirit and culture to over this pandemic phase.
“I’ve never been prouder of you, of this company and our collective spirit and culture. Thanks to everyone for staying safe, remaining flexible and delivering for our customers during this unique period. We will get through this together,” concluded Michael Dell.