Balancing business & community well-being in the times of Covid-19: Hear from Ashwin Reddy, MD, Aparna Enterprises Ltd.
Ashwin Reddy, MD, Aparna Enterprises Ltd. talks about the impact on business due to COVID19.
How has COVID19 affected your business?
As Aparna Enterprises is primarily a manufacturing led organization, many of our products involve physical delivery and installation. As per the directives of Central and State Governments, all of our manufacturing units and offices are completely shut at the moment, to restrict spread of COVID-19 virus.
How are your teams working and communicating during such times?
Our non-manufacturing led departments are operational and working from home. Employees have been supported with the required IT infrastructure to manage their daily tasks. Employees are connected with their teams through calls and virtual meeting tools.
Systems and processes have seen new changes. Do you feel the new way of working will change the way we worked in offices?
There will certainly be a change in the way we operate and the way processes are conducted. But given the nature of our business, this will be a temporary change. Most of our processes require personal presence and hence it will be a return to business as usual once the lockdown ends. But as for sectors which do not require physical presence and work can be managed in virtual environment, there will be a shift in the style of working in the future.
How are you helping your local community during such times?
The wellbeing of the local community is of paramount importance in the current situation. For those, who are dependent on us, for example the worker community, we are paying the daily allowance so that they can take care of their daily needs. Also, at the Aparna Group, we have contributed INR 2 crore each to Prime Minister’s CARE Fund and Telangana Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. We have also contributed INR 1 crore to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
This is a once in a lifetime event for all of us, do share your reason for optimism?
This certainly is a tough time for all of us, however past instances prove that we have the potential to combat the situation. It is essential that we follow the precautions and guidelines set by the authorities. With the invent of technology and awareness among people, we certainly would overcome this situation while every citizen stands by each other in these grim times.