Executives in every quarter of the enterprise are telling us they learned a huge lesson this year: Lean, mean and just-in-time don’t work so well when the whole world is immersed in turmoil. And with no shortage of global crises ahead, it’s time to consider where buffers and flexibility should take priority.

“Resilience” is the word of the hour, even in the throes of recession. In this issue of Gartner Business Quarterly, we make this gauzy concept concrete. As Roberta Witty and Peter Young write in our top story, the organization as a whole “must build the capability to bounce back from any kind of setback — whether it’s a pandemic, natural disaster, economic change, government decision, competitive onslaught, cyberattack or espionage.”

In a series of short articles, we’ll explain how the executive team should set overall resilience plans. We’ll also deliver specific, cost-effective (and underused) tactics for a more adaptable culture, workforce, supply chain and business model. You’ll learn how to be nimble without becoming distracted, how you can expand your team temporarily with people who already know your business, how to automate — in phases — to free up capacity, how to weigh where it’s necessary to build in extra options and, just as importantly, where it’s not. Even purposeful ESG spending can help your company withstand and recover from disruption.

You’ll find real-world experience shared by leaders at an international group of organizations, both large and midsize, private and public, including TE Connectivity, Marks and Spencer, CHEP Europe, UPS, Coca-Cola, İşbank, St. Michael’s Hospital of Unity Health Toronto and the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Each issue of GBQ advises you on aligning with others and reaching maximum effectiveness so your organization can achieve its goals, be bold and principled, and bring employees, investors and the public along for the ride.

The journal also includes departments that keep you up to speed — Cutting Edge, a graphics-intensive look at provocative new data, and Briefs, short takes about smarter spending and planning, talent and culture, growth and innovation, and data and technology.

We welcome your feedback. Please contact me at
judy.pasternak@gartner.com

— Judy Pasternak

The Trends That Strategists Are Watching

Heads of strategy are paying attention to the growing power of large players, governmental oversight, the deterioration of globalization and the erosion of industry boundaries. They are actively planning for faster digital changes in their markets. What most aren’t monitoring: Unionization and the immigrant workforce.

The Purpose of the Postpandemic Office

Two-thirds of employees would like to work from home at least once a week after the pandemic. Most companies (72%) expect to reduce their real estate footprint by 10% or more in the next two years.