KEY INSIGHTS INTO MANAGERIAL CHALLENGES AND PRACTICES DURING PANDEMIC: PREPARING FOR A VUCA WORLD

Purpose: To provide guidance and prepare managers for future crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. This study has been conducted with an aim to examine the challenges faced and the practices adopted by the managers working across different industries in different functional areas of management during COVID-19 pandemic. Background: The pandemic presented the managers with unprecedented challenging situations, necessitating the development of new strategies and approaches. This study explores the practical knowledge gained by managers through their experiences in handling unexpected managerial challenges. Methods: Qualitative research employing a descriptive phenomenology research design was conducted. In-depth interviews were conducted with managers at different levels, using open-ended questions to gather their responses. Findings: The research findings indicate emergence of following themes: (a) Emphasis on health, safety employee well-being; (b) Communication and transparency; (c) Work from home; (d) Increased use of technology; (e) Reorientation of supply chain management; (f) Reskilling, training and development; (g) Cost-optimisation; (h) Customer engagement; (i) Improved crisis management capabilities; (j) Risk Management; (k) Strategic Planning; (l) Collaboration and communication. Conclusions: The key insights that emerged from the research indicate that the experiences of the managers and the practises they adopted will be of immense advantage to effectively deal with a similar crisis in future. The experiences and practices adopted by managers during the COVID-19 pandemic can serve as a resource for dealing with similar catastrophic events. Keywords: COVID-19, Crisis Management, Human Resource Management, Managerial Challenges and Practices, VUCA.