Canadian Government Executive - Volume 26 - Issue 02

30 / Canadian Government Executive // March/April 2020 The LAST WORD and fix mistakes later. Rather than front-end loading the verifica- tion process to ensure that people qualify for the Canadian Emer- gency Response Benefit (CERB) before payments go out, we have created a quick and expeditious process to receive payments and those made in error will be recovered later. This kind of respon- siveness will become an expectation even after the COVID-19 cri- sis is over. We will see a shift in the culture of the public service toward a greater tolerance for risk and imperfection, which could provide a strong foundation for largescale innovation and experi- mentation in policy and service delivery. The COVID-19 pandemic has had the effect of uprooting and transforming almost all of our routines, both at home at work. The reality of having to redefine what qualifies as ‘normal’ opens up all kinds of possibilities for change. For example, some peo- ple might find that they work more efficiently and effectively at home. They might wish to continue this even after physical dis- tancing requirements are relaxed. Both public and private em- ployers will have to think about the implications of this from a human resources perspective. Some questions for consideration are: How is the overall workload affected by working from home as opposed to the office? Do we end up doing more work, less, or about the same? Do meetings on Microsoft Teams and Zoom tax us in ways that face to face interactions do not? How will we cre- ate effective teams, networks, and collaborations in the absence of face to face interactions, which provide spontaneous opportu- nities to socialize and build trust? How will employees maintain a healthy work/life balance, if those worlds collapse into one physi- cal space? In their responses to COVID-19 so far, many governments have been specifically attentive to the effects of coronavirus on vulnerable populations, including victims of domestic violence, children, and people with disabilities. This is critical to making real recovery possible. It is vitally important, as we draft plans towards reopening and recovering, that we embrace strategies that are inclusive of and attentive to all populations, demographic constituencies, and socioeconomic realities. This is not just about recovery in a purely economic sense; it is about addressing socio- economic inequities that existed before COVID-19 and that were exacerbated by the pandemic and its effects. D r . L ori T urnbull is the Director of the School of Public Administration at Dalhousie University and the deputy editor of Canadian Government Executive. The COVID-19 pandemic has had the effect of uprooting and transforming almost all of our routines, both at home at work. The reality of having to redefine what qualifies as ‘normal’ opens up all kinds of possibilities for change.