The Impact of COVID-19 on Project Management
The pandemic has affected organizations and teams alike, including ours. Leaders have been forced to quickly adapt both their processes and their teams to working remotely and to changing budgets and timelines. While the pandemic’s impact is far from over, some of the permanent changes are already apparent: distributed teams are the status quo, companies are rethinking how teams connect, and many are realizing the necessity of project management software. But despite the challenges, there are a number of positives and opportunities in our industry.
More opportunities for remote teams
With the right tools in place, working remotely can be beneficial to an organization, MRC senior project management consultant Jennifer O’Connor says. Working remotely can save consultants who previously had to travel long distances to visit project sites time and money. COVID-19 forced a fast change for many teams and industries, but we have seen an amazing amount of tenacity and flexibility among our own team and our clients.
New ways to implement project management
In today’s environment, it’s crucial to plan ahead, stay on track and be prepared for changes. We expect to see an increase in the number of companies looking not only to hire project managers to help get projects back on track due to COVID-19 delays but also to invest in project management long-term. Departments and business lines that traditionally haven’t utilized a specialized project manager may do so going forward to keep things running smoothly.
Increased use of tools
At MRC, we use a set of tools to keep projects on track for ourselves and clients. MRC project controls consultant Thom Baumann-Neylon says that he’s seen an increased demand for collaboration tools across all industries, including project management. For companies that are not ready to onboard a project manager, we’ll see more teams investing in tools to manage projects internally.
More project management jobs
Project management is expected to create 200 million jobs by 2027. With more companies looking to hire project managers and an influx of individuals looking to find a job, the field is growing quickly. For those wondering whether project management would be a fit, check out our blog that highlights the top traits needed to be a successful project manager.
Over the next few months, we expect to see the field of project management continue to evolve and grow with the current times. Though the pandemic has thrown a wrench in many projects, teams and ways of working, it certainly hasn’t stopped project managers from getting things accomplished. We’re confident that the industry will come out of 2020 stronger and more in demand than ever.