What impact has the pandemic had on you personally and professionally?
I don’t think that this time last year, anyone expected us to all have faced the challenges that this pandemic has thrown at us. The roller coaster of uncertainty and limitations on our lives that we take for granted.
Professionally, we suddenly had to face the uncertainty of if businesses could suddenly cope with such dramatic loss of trade, the furlough of staff, working from home & trying to manage a team remotely. I couldn’t be prouder, that as a business, we rallied round to help supply the nightingale hospitals with their sanitary needs at short notice, whilst still trying to ensure that globally, the workforce was kept safe & operational. Within my own team, I had colleagues that had to cope with personal grief, during times where there was such limited interaction with family members & restrictions in giving them a fitting farewell. Although my heart went out to them, trying to demonstrate that was very difficult, without the means of a reassuring touch and only by phone.
Personally, the isolation from my family has been particularly hard. I have two wonderful twin brothers who are autistic and live with my parents. I try to spend as much time as I can with them, but as I live away, this means them visiting for weekends or me popping over. They have also been unable to attend their normal day service for almost a year now, which has put additional pressure on my parents. I try to video call every day, but it’s not quite the same as a real visit. It’s difficult for them to understand, which they also find frustrating, but my heart was lifted a week or so ago, when Simon said “You need to get my bed ready, because Boris say’s I can visit soon!” I am thankful that in February last year, we were able to celebrate my Nan’s 100th birthday, which was attended by all the extended family & friends, a great chance to catch up, before the imminent pandemic. I am lucky that I have fantastic neighbours, that have kept me sane and looked out for me, whilst work has also kept me busy, but I can understand how it could easily have been very different.
How has Covid-19 changed your way of management?
During Covid-19 we have had to adapt our management skills and ways of interacting with both employees and other colleagues. Whether it’s the endless Teams / Zoom calls, where you see each other virtually face to face (and check out the home décor!) or the need for extra one to one interaction from a distance. Every individual has coped in their own way & judging that can be difficult when you can’t see them. People have really struggled with job uncertainty, personal issues & loneliness, which is sometimes difficult to grasp when you aren’t interacting in the same way, but a definite tool for the future.
Going forward, is there anything that you will be doing differently?
I think both personally & professionally, there are plenty of lessons to be learnt, that I will continue going forward. Understanding people’s needs better and different ways of interacting are a definite from a professional point of view. Learning to appreciate, be thankful and give kindness, from acts which can be both small, but mean so much to people, to acts which have been truly amazing and given so much to so many. I will treasure more than ever the time spent with loved ones & also understand, that it’s ok to stop at home and create some time for me.
What has kept you hopeful during this time?
The strength and resilience that people can show during difficult and unique times, has been truly amazing. Communities & businesses have come together for the greater good, like I have never experienced in my lifetime and have only heard about in times gone past. Personally I can’t be thankful enough, that my loved ones have been kept safe & I look forward to all the future good times together, I will never again take for granted that hug & much wanted time together.
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