Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages – Alok Sharma, executive director, supply chain

Companies have redesigned work and workflows to minimise people-to-people contact. Organisations have re-designed workstations, commutes, work shifts, sanitation routines, and reporting programs to keep people safe. The situation has also necessitated manufacturing companies to carry out detailed risk assessment of their factories and be in a state of readiness to start and shut down operations at short notice.

HCCB has implemented options of augmented reality techniques, AI and VR to remotely control equipment and processes. They installed a new manufacturing line during the pandemic period through remote support from the OEM.

The other key area of focus from a future forward perspective is in enabling large ecosystems like ours to “work from anywhere”. Offices may no longer be the nodal center to conduct business and there is every likelihood that offices will evolve into community spaces, where employees will come to connect and bond with each other. This means a laser focus on digitisation and on simplification of processes to enable remote working. It also entails implementing techniques and ways to keep employees connected, engaged and motivated, even when they do not share the same space. So, while collaboration and multi-skilling is the name of the game, digitisation is the way forward.