Developing resilient societies remains important, now more so than ever. The pandemic has dented the social and business arena at a global level. Governments must ensure that their internal working at the operational and strategic levels are rational and meet the needs of the people. Management consultancy firm McKinsey & Company published a survey back in November 2020. ‘Rethinking Resilience: Ten priorities for governments’ focuses on strengthening societies. The data is divided into three sections: ‘More Resilient Societies’ (four points); ‘More Resilient Government Operations’ (3 points); and ‘More Resilient Core Capabilities of the Public Sector (3 points). McKinsey & Company argue that governments can create resilient societies by implementing virus control which is possible by reimagining healthcare. Unleashing a learning revolution can also create and spread resiliency. Fostering resilient trade and supply chains can lead to economic growth where strong financial backing can build stable societies in terms of capital and investment. The report states that the pandemic has obligated governments to rethink learning and education systems. Educational institutions have adopted a hybrid model of teaching. Some are pursuing skills-based learning models. Under the umbrella of the ‘next practice’, distance learning methods can be taken to a broader level. The best teachers in the world can connect with students globally and share their insights, experiences, and ideas. This can be done through one-on-one sessions or in the form of webinars or online symposiums. Contributing to a holistic education could become a reality. Similarly, governments and the corporate sector can initiate online training sessions. Experienced, world-class trainers can deliver talks or conduct workshops online and give customised mentoring sessions to aspiring start-ups. McKinsey advises that one of the keys to building resilient governments is to use digital media to collect information and refer to it as ‘contactless government’. This ‘express digitisation’ will rapidly develop automated online platforms When sharing insights on how to build more resilient governments, one of the keys is to use digital media to collect information. McKinsey & Company call it ‘contactless government’. They argue that governments need to implement technology-enabled change initiatives that fulfil social needs. This ‘express digitisation’ will rapidly develop automated online platforms. Managing balance sheets with an investor mindset is also essential to building resilient governments. The report claims that global government deficits could reach $30 trillion by 2023. Some countries are pursuing traditional debt issuance, revenue optimisation, and expenditure control to address such challenges. Yet much needs to be done in this regard. Strategies must be implemented to reduce the deficit and create additional revenue. Governments must also institutionalise best-practice crisis response to prepare for the next crisis. Indeed, the pandemic has compelled countries to focus on and control such elements that impact local outbreaks. Countries must create cross-functional teams that can address and respond to health crises emerging. Data and analytics should be used for better decision-making to harness the resilient core capabilities of the public sector. The private and public sectors as well as media organisations have launched digital dashboards that share statistics related to Covid-19. Such data keeps us updated with the infection rate along with the number of patients being treated. They also help governments and the corporate sector to craft effective guidelines to elevate living standards and healthcare. Another point is to develop productive ways for public servants to work. Indeed, public workers are compelled to adapt to drastic measures implemented in the wake of the pandemic. In this regard, automation can assist public servants and improve the outcome of public service. Governments must focus on effective change management, employee training so they can adjust to this automatisation and prioritise their work. Governments can create resilient collaborations with the private sector. In this public-private partnership, McKinsey & Company deliberate that stimulus measures can be prepared through such a union. This will also bring a positive change in how key industries work. Enhancing service delivery and revamping the supply chain model can be achieved through such partnerships. In Pakistan, the government can join hands with the private sector at many levels. Academia and industry should collaborate on various fronts. Such as identifying societal problems and then determine pragmatic solutions and strategies. A closely-knit association between academia and industry is needed. The established, well-experienced entrepreneurs and business owners can join hands with seasoned faculty members and take on board professionals who have been serving in various sectors including education, health, trade and the economy. The resiliency in a government will emerge only when the citizens are leading a stable life. Sufficing the needs of education, healthcare, justice, infrastructure and food security, among others, will lead to a stable life for the citizens. Otherwise, all actions taken by the government to create resiliency will not bode well. The writer is an independent researcher, author and columnist. He can be reached at omariftikhar@hotmail.com and Tweets at @omariftikhar