Navigating the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Malaysian Case Study

Abstract

In 2020, the entire world was confronted with a pandemic that would inevitably cause profound changes in all spheres of life, from social to economic. The severe economic crisis that followed the pandemic outbreak has compelled organisations to reconsider the necessary changes and new challenges for ensuring continuity and performance. Researchers have produced a body of knowledge discussing the challenges faced by organisations due to the Pandemic; the trends and innovations emerged to ensure sustainability in this unprecedented situation. However, there are limited studies providing insights into the Malaysian context. Hence, this paper presents a case study of a Malaysian government agency, drawing insights on their approaches for sustaining performance whilst navigating the Covid-19 Pandemic. This agency was chosen because it is one of the government departments mentioned in the frontline category and must continue functioning during the pandemic. Due to limitations and restrictions during the lockdown, the case study was done by collecting information verbally, which was done entirely through tele-conversation. Respondents were chosen based on the hierarchy and ranking, as job duties differ according to rank. According to the study, employees are more motivated to achieve, be recognised, take responsibility, and grow. We found that re-designing the existing jobs into job enrichment and job simplification would help the agency unit to run more smoothly during pandemic. Decisionmaking can be improved by involving more people, as each person brings a distinct perspective to the table. A performance management system should be established to track remote workers' performance.