The latest Continuous Employment Survey of the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC) of Costa Rica, shows that teleworking in salaried persons has shown a decrease, since in the third quarter of 2020 the total number of teleworkers in the country was 275,000 (21.2%), while in the same period of 2021 the figure was 209,000 salaried workers (13.6%), which means a reduction of 24%.

This is a trend that will continue in the post-pandemic world, with many SMEs and enterprises returning exclusively to face-to-face work, while others maintain a hybrid system between telecommuting and progressive return to the office. Because of this, it is necessary for all organisations to adopt a series of measures to prepare for the return of their employees to the premises and to take proper care of their employees, overall finances, business strategies and all aspects related to security management and human talent management.

"What do SMEs and businesses need to understand as they return to this post-pandemic world? That all the strategies and organisational plans they had prior to COVID-19 are outdated, they don't work in the new reality and the business environment has clearly changed. There are big changes in logistics, new needs of employees and customers must be met. In addition, it is necessary to ensure a healthy and safe return to the office for workers, so that they can gradually recover the sensitivity they may have lost during this pandemic," explained MBA Eduardo Sayegh, in charge of Strategic Management at Grupo QCS.

Here are seven key steps for organisations to prepare for the post-pandemic:

Cost analysis: It is necessary to implement a financial strategy coupled with new business models, as this plan will allow the organisation to plan, execute and control operations. Three indispensable pillars to guarantee the company's healthy finances.

2. Human talent management plan: Now that many companies are returning to face-to-face work or maintaining a hybrid system with teleworking, it is necessary to review the needs of the staff. For example, it is necessary to carry out studies of workloads so as not to under or overburden employees, evaluate technical and soft skills, as well as performance in the new skills needed in a world that has completely changed, in order to increase the organisational culture towards the new challenges.

Occupational Health and Safety Management: Patricia Rivera Figueroa, in charge of the Environmental Management, Occupational Health and Safety Department of Grupo QCS, explains that teleworking has transformed the way people work, mainly in the female sector, where they have to attend not only to their work, but also to extra functions at home that increase their working time and a greater physical and emotional wear and tear. Therefore, the expert comments that a correct occupational health and safety plan must be established to correctly accompany employees in the progressive hybrid and face-to-face return. Integral health is a fundamental aspect to guarantee efficiency and, above all, mental health and happy workers.

4. Updating risk management mechanisms: In order to achieve safe working environments, reduce accidents or illnesses, it is necessary to correctly manage and prevent emergencies and risks. Threats and vulnerability levels must be analysed in each of the workplaces, applying all legal measures and new requirements of the health authorities, as well as an adequate management of financial and non-financial risks that can jeopardise the organisation.

5. Process optimisation: In this case, the ISO 9001:2015 Standard is of vital importance to ensure quality management that allows organisations to satisfy their users/customers within a robust quality system, by integrating them with other Standards such as ISO 14001:2015 & ISO 45001:2018 they achieve that companies manage an Integrated Environment, Health and Safety Management, to promote sustainable development and justly even better as a response after COVID-19. On the other hand, it is essential to have management systems in place to ensure business continuity and adequate crisis management. The automation of systems through technological platforms such as ISOTools is one of the best strategies for organisations that need to maintain this hybrid between virtuality and presence, as it is a cloud platform that facilitates the management of services and the traceability of information. Likewise, in a world where digital information is fundamental, this tool guarantees the security of this data and its ideal organisation.

6. Business transformation: MIE Carol Rojas Alvarado, Head of Transformation, Innovation and Business Agility at QCS Group, explains that understanding the internal and external context in which your business moves; and how business strategies are aligned with commercial and digital strategies as well as outlining an appropriate "costumer journey", will be some of the keys that will allow your company to achieve a business transformation based on agility, transformation and innovation. To achieve an optimal business transformation, it is advisable to align strategy, organisational structure, processes, culture and technology in order to achieve the strategies and optimise financial, human and technological resources.

7. Implement audits: This point encapsulates all other aspects, as having regular audits provides security and credibility to companies in the eyes of their customers and employees. This increases trust and integrity.

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A platform seeks to promote the curbing of corruption in public and private institutions in the country.

It is the ISOTools software, which allows to prevent and detect possible acts of corruption. It is based on the ISO 37001 standard, better known as the Anti-Bribery Management System.

Rolando Arroyo, director and founder of Grupo QCS, explained that this software can be installed in companies applying ISO standards, as well as in those aiming to implement such standards.

"It fills gaps in the processes that enable acts of corruption. For example, it manages bribery risks and tailor-made controls, enables whistleblowing channels while ensuring anonymity. In addition, it identifies conflicts of interest, recognises key policy stakeholders across geographies. It also distinguishes interactions with government officials, determines what, when and by whom; in addition to other functions at the preventive, detection and remediation level," Arroyo explained.

He added that, for example, the system, in case of detecting the slightest irregular behaviour, according to previously determined parameters, is in charge of providing traceability to the process by identifying all the people involved in it. This is done by carrying out periodic scheduled audits of procedures and controls. This allows all the processes and staff involved to be monitored.

"By its nature, it detects people who are corrupt and those who want to corrupt," Arroyo said.

Among the additional benefits of implementing ISOTools, the director added, is that it generates an increase in competitiveness. It also reduces reputational risk in private companies and public institutions.

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According to data from the United Nations (UN)[1], every year, worldwide, one trillion dollars is paid in bribes and it is estimated that 2.6 trillion dollars are stolen annually through corruption, a sum equivalent to more than 5% of the world's Gross Domestic Product. Costa Rica does not escape this problem, as the lack of anti-corruption systems in public and private institutions makes it difficult to detect and curb this problem.

Today, technology is becoming an ally to prevent and detect possible acts of corruption. Grupo QCS, as a representative in Costa Rica of the ISOTools technology platform, has been promoting for 12 years the use of this software for the automation of the ISO 37001 Standard, better known as the Anti-Bribery Management System.

"This software, which can be installed at both the public and private levels, and in companies applying ISO standards as well as those aiming to implement such standards, fills gaps in the processes that enable acts of corruption. For example, it manages bribery risks and tailored controls, enables whistleblowing channels ensuring anonymity, identifies conflicts of interest, recognises key stakeholders for policies in all geographic areas, distinguishes interactions with government officials (including state-owned enterprises), determines what, when and by whom; in addition to other functions at the preventive, detection and correction level," explained Rolando Arroyo, Director and founder of Grupo QCS.

This Anti-Bribery Management System has as its main objective to prevent any type of improper and illegal act; for example, in case of detecting the slightest irregular behaviour, according to previously determined parameters, it is in charge of giving traceability to the process by identifying all the people involved in it, carrying out periodic scheduled audits of procedures and controls, allowing all the processes and officials involved to be within the surveillance. By its nature, it detects people who are corrupt and those who want to corrupt.

The implementation of ISOTools leads to increased competitiveness and reduced reputational risk for private companies and public institutions.

This technological tool allows the country to comply with the 2030 Agenda and ECLAC's Sustainable Development Goals [2], which textually request to "Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, facilitate access to justice for all and build effective and accountable inclusive institutions at all levels; and significantly reduce corruption and bribery in all its forms".

The Anti-Bribery Management System is just one of the many benefits of the ISOTools technology platform, as this tool for the digital transformation of management models also allows, through its installation, the improvement of the performance of each organisation. This tool ensures sustainable development, provides solutions for legal and regulatory compliance, automates daily operational management, among others.

"With the installation of ISOTools you can meet the various sustainable objectives, implement risk control plans to be ready for any adverse situation that may arise, reduce bureaucratic processes, create strategies, management systems, legal and regulatory compliance, among other benefits. The needs that any organisation may have, this tool has the ability to solve them, in addition to streamlining any process, as this tool automates various processes and allows officials to meet all the necessary requirements for any type of management," concluded Rolando Arroyo, Director and founder of Grupo QCS. To purchase this platform, you can write to info@grupoqcs.com, go to https://www.grupoqcs.com/ or call 2228-0050.

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The Costa Rican company Grupo QCS promotes the installation of specialised software to detect and report corruption issues in companies or public sector institutions. It is the ISO Tools platform and is known as the Anti-Bribery Management System.

The tool uses anonymous reporting mechanisms so that any worker can report potential acts of corruption and this will be notified to administrative bodies. It also detects the risks of bribery when it comes to procedures in any state entity.

Rolando Arroyo, director of Grupo QCS, explained that the platform also includes data on potential conflicts of interest.

The University of Costa Rica (UCR) indicated that the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), developed by the School of Statistics, detected constant increases in the last four years.

Leonardo Castellón, dean of economics, said that mechanisms such as periodic evaluation should be implemented to fight corruption in an institutional way.

According to the United Nations (UN), one trillion dollars is paid in bribes every year and an estimated 2.6 trillion dollars is stolen annually through corruption, equivalent to more than 5% of the world's Gross Domestic Product.

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Objectives of this demo:

To show the benefits of implementing ISOTools Excellence software in terms of management automation in organisations:

• Time optimisation.
• Cost optimisation.
• Performance optimisation.

Introduction

Automation strategy and technology plays an important role in all areas of the business: human resources, customer service, marketing, sales and more. In every IT organisation, there are processes that can be automated to increase employee workload, make operations more efficient and enable employees to do more valuable work.

In today's world, when everything cannot and should not be automated, there are many business processes and functions that the basic infrastructure to support AI and AI technologies can have. To achieve the level of support at the scale and speed that consumers expect, business leaders must prioritise a comprehensive automation programme.

These strategies have clear benefits. In addition, it is important for IT managers to help others understand how to get the most out of them. To do this, there are a number of different concepts that need to be adopted throughout the organisation to increase the efficiency, productivity and business value of automation.