The ACPM held its first online meeting for the members of the Academy and its associates on April 28th. The topic of discussion was the future working format of the Academy and the challenges faced by the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The imposed quarantine prompted the ACPM members to act quickly. Whatever hopes may be for a quick return to the usual rhythm of life, it was realised that the pandemic may still be there until the end of the year, thereby affecting many plans and processes.
Due to the lockdown, the Academy decided to run the meeting – and move its operations – online. The meeting was attended by the ACPM Director Richard Oliphant, his assistants, members of the Academy, and former work acquaintances from Tech City.
The following key issues were addressed:
- business monitoring during the pandemic
- tools to support communication and productive operations of ACPM
- further ACPM business plans for late 2020 and 2021
The meeting resolved that:
- It is still difficult to monitor the current state of business in the unprecedented conditions of the pandemic. Retail is under tremendous customer pressure and is looking for ways to increase productivity. The remaining areas have relocated their staff to work from home. On the one hand, this possibility has opened up promising areas of development. It has also demonstrated low levels of soft skills and self-organization of employees on the other hand. The change in working conditions will soon perfectly demonstrate the professionalism of managers and their ability to adjust.
- ACPM has developed certification programs for professional managers in Great Britain. The pandemic and the working-from-home option prompted the academy to expedite the geographical expansion of its operations. It was decided to organize an online meeting to find partners and supporters.
