The impact of Covid-19 on management decision-making: The case within Australian organizations

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly altered the way leaders in organizations manage their employees, requiring them to adopt a more supportive stance to facilitate employee wellbeing and at the same time maintain productivity. The pandemic has precipitated changes to how organizations manage and communicate with their staff. Because the situation has changed due to the infectious disease of COVID-19, managerial decisions are expected to change, commensurate with the situation. It is within this context that this study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Australian managers’ decision-making approaches. A qualitative method utilizing structured interviews consisting of 11 open ended questions was used to gauge the effect of the pandemic on 55 Australian public service managers. The study reveals that, because of the pandemic, new management approaches were employed and reveals insights into employees’ attitudes toward these new approaches. The research highlights how the use of multiple technological platforms have facilitated organizational communication, despite technical difficulties, to maintain at least a reasonable level of connectivity and helped to facilitate the achievement of organizational goals and objectives.