May 13 (SeeNews) - Most companies operating in Bulgaria's knowledge industry are not seriously affected by the coronavirus outbreak, the country's Association for Innovation, Business Excellence, Services and Technology (AIBEST) said on Wednesday.
As many as 62% of the AIBEST members have said their operations were not impacted significantly by the coronavirus crisis, the association said on Wednesday, quoting the findings of a recent study.
The companies operating in the knowledge industry perceive the coronavirus outbreak as an opportunity to accelerate digitalisation and grow their business, it commented.
"Thanks to the transformations in the business services sector over the past years Bulgaria holds an established position on the world map. We create high added value by developing technology products, as well as by offering state-of-the art business services and solutions. That is why I believe that our members, and our industry as a whole, will retain its competitive edge after the crisis and could even outrun our peers on rival markets," Ilia Krustev, AIBEST managing board chairman, commented.
The AIBEST also survey showed that just 15% of the members of the association intend to resume work from office for all their employees after May 13 when the state of emergency in the country ends. Instead, more than a half of the AIBEST members opted for a gradual return to work from office.
Company analyses showed that remote work has in no way affected the efficiency and quality of offered services, the association also said.
However, about 44% of AIBEST companies have put on hold their hiring plans and pay rise schemes in order to mitigate the negative effect of the crisis on their operations.
None of the companies active in the sector has taken advantage of the government's coronavirus-related support measures, the association noted.