Surviving Covid 19

With the COVID-19 challenges and government restrictions in Kenya, organizations have had to rethink how to manage their greatest asset, human capital.  Crowe Erastus and Co. CPA was no exception. The firm’s core business is service oriented and therefore people centered. The COVID measures of social distancing, restrictions on movement, city lockdowns,working from home among others meant that we had to respond quickly through business reengineering to enhance our staff safety, business continuity and client satisfaction.
To enhance employee Health & Safety, we adopted various strategies. Key among them was to embrace remote working during which we undertake regular communication with staff providing employees with the latest information on what is required of them during this period. The firm has provided the employees, who occasionally come to the office, with sanitizers and masks to be used regularly while in the office and on transit to their residence. The office environment has also been enhanced to meet the health and safety standards of cleanliness and social distancing. For example, social distance has been implemented by limiting the number of employees who come to work from the office, encouraging them to keep their health of mind, body and spirit and providing any assistance through the HR’s Office. This is also an opportunity for employees who have accumulated many leave days to take leave to rest and unwind with their families.

Working from home has been a steep learning curve and a challenge, in equal measure, to employees, the firm and our clients. To enhance our efficiency in service delivery while working from home, the firm has facilitated the necessary technology including laptops, internet and telephone where needed. Our technology and IT enhancement over the years has meant that we do not invest in new equipment and software should the need to work from home arise. This has enabled our audit team to limit physical contact while delivering our services and enforcing our commitment to our clients. Our cloud based audit tools have enabled effective liaison between our teams and clients to deliver audit deliverables to their stakeholders during this period. Work organisation and communication has jumped a notch higher through use of technology including work planning through our work IT tools, online meetings ensuring there is continuous communication and connectivity. The firm has taken up the use of conferencing technology to connect with employees and clients spread across the world.

As we all have been inspired to quickly adjust to a new normal, no change comes without its share of challenges. We encourage our employees and clients alike, to abide by working from home principles that ensure physical, emotional and psychological well-being. The firm is continually looking for new opportunities to keep its employees engaged and motivated even as we define what the new normal will be. Crowe Erastus & Co. now most especially would like to reiterate our commitment to helping our clients make smart decisions that create lasting value.