Shaping our ‘new normal’
As the Coronavirus crisis continues to ease in the UK, Jan-Hein Hemke, Managing Director of Facilicom UK & Ireland, reflects on his key lockdown learnings and discusses what the ‘new normal’ could like if we embrace fresh ways of living and working.
2020 has brought unprecedented challenges so far. The coronavirus crisis has impacted each and every one of us in some form. From the tragic loss of life and ill health, to the difficulties of lockdown and impact on employment. The past few months have transformed our society beyond recognition.
But in recent weeks there has been some light relief. The fatality and infection rates continue to fall, families and friends are able to meet in socially distanced settings, and some sectors have been given the green light to re-open, provided they can meet COVID-19 safety guidelines set out by the government.
As lockdown restrictions continue to ease, the country is very much focused on ‘regaining normality’, but if these past few months have taught us anything, it’s that our former lifestyle wasn’t as perfect as we once thought. In fact, in many ways, it needs to change.
So, as some of our freedoms start to return, we must ask ourselves, do we really want to go back to the ‘normal’ pre- pandemic days, or are there lockdown learnings that we can carry into our future to make it a more sustainable and efficient place?
As a business we have had to adapt very quickly to the fragile circumstances and many of our traditional operations have been forced to change. While some, like the furloughing of staff due to client site closures, have been challenging, others have been a welcome surprise.
40 | FEATURE Communication
Communication with colleagues, prospects, and customers, for example, have all been enhanced with the use of Zoom. While it’s not a new technology, it’s something that many businesses have failed to fully embrace to its full potential, until now.
We are having regular briefings with the workforce who cover the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland and, although these sessions are not mandatory, we have seen fantastic take-up. From those who are currently on furlough, to those working on the frontline, we feel it is more important than ever to stay close to our teams and ensure they feel involved in the business, from company updates to new ways of working.
Despite the travel and social distancing restrictions, we have also been able to connect with existing and prospective clients. We have kept up to date with our customers and adapted to their challenges, and have even pitched – and won – new business via video call. Although direct contact is vital for building relationships – and we very much look forward to meeting up with clients when it is safe to do so – the efficiency that video calls bring can save both parties a lot of time and money.
Lockdown has forced us think smarter about how we approach communication. Many of our sales team spend their lives on the road, travelling the country for face-to- face meetings, but Zoom has the potential to transform the way they work. No longer will they have to spend hours in
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