Exploring post pandemic potential new ways of working experienced by managers at a sugar refinery in Durban, South Africa.

Abstract

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed work practises globally, including sugar manufacturing plants. The COVID-19 virus has impacted negatively on both the economy and society, filtering into every part of human culture. The sugar industry in South Africa has been under financial pressure for more than a decade and its long-term sustainability has been under constant threat from cheap world sugar imports. It is within this context that all aspects of management must be analysed and optimised to ensure that organisations are operating as efficiently as possible. A literature survey was initially conducted to understand COVID-19 and its impact on business globally. This study has assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the ways of working for managers, at a sugar refinery in Durban, South Africa. Primary data was collected by interviewing a sample of ten managers. The key objectives were to understand the current ways of working and the strategies that were implemented to deal with the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environment post the pandemic; to explore the challenges experienced by managers post the pandemic; to explore any benefits in the ways of working experienced by managers post the pandemic and to provide recommendations to improve ways of working for managers post the pandemic. The study utilised a qualitative method of analysis serving to explore the impact of the pandemic on managers in a sugar manufacturing plant by means of structured interviews with middle managers. The data has demonstrated the negative impacts of the pandemic on the management teams, and the corrective action thereof and any positive benefits of the ways of working with continuation of good operational practices. The findings may be of benefit primarily to managers in the sugar industry, and also to managers in general. The findings could be a stepping stone to a more detailed study.