This isn’t business as usual, it is in fact unusual business and it’s a time of great stress and uncertainty. It’s also a moment in time when the work that many are doing is critical. Some people will never do anything more important than what they will be doing over the coming months. We will also likely never be so dependant on others as we are all going to be in the next few months.
We’ve changed the way we do business, how we deal with our customers, our logistics, transportation, supply chain and purchasing. We’re providing an essential service to many people who are out of their homes because of insurance works being undertaken in their homes, to finishing off floors in peoples renovated or newly built homes so that they can get into the safety of their homes and out of in some situation’s temporary accommodation. Many people are depending on us.
I’m not alone in being grateful for the work that everyone in our society is doing, and how the vast majority of people are now following our new living environment and the conditions we now are faced with. To everyone that is doing the “right thing” your efforts are being noticed. Thank you.
When we watch the news, and we see across the world, people are feeling the economic effects of this crisis, sadly it will get much worse before we see improvement. Many businesses like restaurants and bars are being forced to shut their doors. But take away can still be purchased at many of these restaurants and cafes. So, if you’re passing by and you can stop and buy a coffee or a cake or even a meal if you can help support a local business, that helps us all.
As a flooring company much of the essential work we do cannot be done from home. Whilst we can shut our office and take calls from home and send emails from home, we can’t install a floor from home or sand a floor from home. So, because of this we’ve implemented a series of preventative health measures for employees and contractors— everything from increasing the frequency and intensity of cleaning to adjusting our practices to ensure the recommended social distancing guidelines. We are talking every day and working to identify additional ways to improve what we are doing.
Over the past few weeks I find myself thinking about COVID-19 and how we can improve on what we do, how we can help. I want to say that whilst we cannot help with a cure or vaccine, we will continue to do our part of being concerned citizens, and we won’t stop looking for new opportunities to help.
There is no instruction manual for how to feel at a time like this, and I know this causes stress for everyone.
To all the companies that have changed up their production to produce goods that can protect us or assist us with this fight against COVID-19 thank you. I hope after this is all said and done that companies that helped out will be recognised as heroes of this war against the virus and companies that did little or exploited the situation for their own financial gain will be named and shamed in public.
My list of worries right now — like yours I’m sure — is long: from my own children, wife, parents, family, friends, to the safety of you, my colleagues, to those who are already very sick, and to the real harm that will be caused by the economic fallout across our communities.
Please take care of yourselves and your loved ones. I know that we’re going to get through this, together.
