Increase in cover-ups and latent defects could be Covid-19 legacy, GIRI members fear

An increase in the number of latent defects, exacerbated by the lack of 'ownership' of errors could be the most obvious legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic, those attending GIRI's second online forum suggested.  

The focus of the hour-long session was the challenge of managing and motivating staff under current conditions; and during the open discussion forum, attendees raised some of the issues that they are currently witnessing in the workplace. 

One of the most startling revelations was the fact that in one company, all but one of the team responsible for quality had been furloughed; other delegates highlighted their fears that on operational sites, defects were simply not being recorded, and attention was focused almost exclusively on productivity and the need to maintain social distancing requirements. 

By contrast others reported that although a substantial proportion of staff were on furlough, those kept on had been selected as having the best 'can do' attitudes. While this might assist work on site, discussions at a previous GIRI forum suggested it may impact elsewhere, perhaps on the morale of those on furlough. 

Identifying how staff behaviour can be managed and how to encourage positive input was the focus of the training aspect of the event. The difference between 'helpful disagreement' and 'unhelpful agreement' was explored, and tips on how to encourage the former were proposed.  

A video of the event has now been published online and can be viewed below, or via our Youtube channel. The slides from the event are also available to download here.