Impact of COVID-19 on shared services and GBS

Conventional wisdom no more: Global business services and shared services have big opportunities

The post–COVID-19 pandemic world looks unclear, but for GBS and shared services organizations, one thing is clear: Conventional wisdom and long-held “orthodoxies” have been challenged during the pandemic, requiring many changes—many of which may have led to better performance. As the world eases restrictions, the new GBS and shared services normal will likely include operational practices that were previously thought to be impossible. We anticipate that most of them will “stick,” then expand.

While the actions many companies took were borne of business necessity, they can speak to new ways of working—new ways that may enable GBS and shared services organizations to not only survive, but thrive in the post–COVID-19 pandemic world:

Download the full report and keep reading below for more insights around each of these areas.

From pandemic to thriving: GBS and shared services organizations moving forward

It’s been said that it’s always important to expect the unexpected. As demonstrated by the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this may be very good advice.

While it is difficult to plan for every contingency or event that can disrupt the global economy and the way that day-to-day business is conducted, the COVID-19 pandemic has provided some insights into future opportunities for organizations to consider as they seek to thrive in a “new normal.”

Organizations should look to the future to increase virtual work, expand scope in remote delivery models, revamp BCPs, automate and enhance security, and build greater business resiliency to help be better prepared for any future crisis and thrive.