The way we work has changed drastically in the past year. With Covid-19 sweeping the globe we have been forced to stay home, forced to learn new ways of communicating, forced to change our behaviours, and forced to work differently. Although it may have been challenging at first, we have, as a society, adapted to this new way of working. And though it was not easy, and we may have been stubborn about adapting, I think many of us are seeing the benefits. Not having to commute to work gives us more time to do things we enjoy, like being with our families, engaging with our children, parents, and siblings. The world has slowed down and has forced us to take inventory of what is important to us. I cannot speak for everyone at Presidential but being home with my 2 boys for the past 11 months has put me better in touch with how and what they are learning at school and where they need help. During the summer months we had time to connect and play and take day trips that we would not have had time for otherwise. Without those experiences I would not have had the opportunity to really understand and appreciate what I was actually missing out on.
With assessable vaccines on the horizon, I sit and wonder what life will look like post Covid-19. Will we ever go back to the way things were before? Will we feel comfortable congregating in large groups? Getting into a crowded elevator to go to work? Having playdates with people outside our “bubble� Working in an office with multiple people in close proximity? The answer is we don’t know. We don’t know for sure how long it will take for herd immunity so that we feel safe stepping out. But one thing is for sure, many, many companies will continue to work differently.
If Covid-19 has taught us anything it is that many of us can effectively and productively work from home! There are many platforms you can use to communicate face-to-face via zoom, google meet, skype, etc… If your job is primarily done on the computer then technically you can work anywhere there is access to the internet! As a design-build firm we can come together with one of said platforms to collaborate on ideas and then go off to our corners and work out the details. We are still successfully able to create meaningful ideas for our clients!
Another lesson we have learned is how valuable employees are to the companies they work for. We have, collectively, gone above and beyond to learn new technology and new safety measures to keep our community and our economy going. It is for this reason why employee recognition is so important right now. The success of companies today is largely due to the employees who have helped keep them moving forward. All the front-line workers, from the doctors, to nurses, to paramedics, to cashiers at the grocery store, to the men and women driving the 18-wheelers that help replenish our shelves and all the workers in between, all these people have gone out into a world riddled with Covid-19 and willfully continued to serve their communities. We should be acknowledging and recognizing their contributions. Service awards are but a small token of appreciation that can really penetrate someone’s heart. Something they can look at to remind them how much we appreciate their sacrifices. It is for this reason why Presidential keeps moving forward in creating meaningful recognition. We understand its importance and long-lasting impact. Presidential is here, ready to help create visible recognition for all the people deserving acknowledgement and gratitude.
Tammy Kim
January 25, 2021