Firstly I hope you and your families are safe and well. It seems like a long time since our wonderful Global Conference in New Orleans but the world has changed. Many of us are locked down or in isolation to reduce the spread of the virus. Many of us have witnessed major changes to our businesses, especially cash flow and revenue. I mentioned in the last Vignette the importance of a network such as NPAworldwide in times like this.
What I wanted to share today were the unexpected Silver Linings of the current Cloud. I have now been working from home for 4 weeks (I have a City office) and have found some amazing personal and professional benefits. While we are all different, here are a few things that I have done that have worked for me and may also work for you.
- Have a routine- I am pretty much sticking to the normal routine of getting up at the same time and preparing for work and am at my desk the same time as if I was in the city. I also make sure I have a proper lunch break where I can have some down time,do some exercise (who am I kidding?) and catch up with family and the news.
- Keep connected- I speak to each of my team most days and we have Zoom meetings on Monday as we have always done to discuss what is happening on our desks, Wednesday we brainstorm jobs and candidates and we have just introduced "Lunch and Learn Fridays where we have a Watch party on Zoom - usually a presentation by an experienced trainer.
- Remember those training videos you downloaded waiting for the right time? Now is a great time. Build up your skills for when things pick up and work on improving your systems and processes. Check out the new recruitment tech. Netflix won't help you make placements.
- We recruiters are "people people." Make sure you have "water cooler" talk and keep up social interactions. In our region, we had NPAworldwide virtual drinks last week with 40 people on a Zoom call. This really helped after being cooped up in a room most of the day.
- Now is a great time to get close to your clients. In challenging times, often the HR or line managers are themselves feeling insecure. Reach out to them and create a strong bond (resist the urge to sell- that's what I find hardest). Set the foundations for the inevitable snap back.
- Likewise get to know your trading partners. Reach out to your Area Leader and member engagement specialists and connect with members you may be able to split with down the line.
- Look after yourselves. This is unprecedented and there is a great deal of uncertainty. Make sure you take care of your physical and mental health and reach out to fellow members or health professionals if you need. This will pass and we are all in it together.
Finally, let me wish all those celebrating Easter and Passover a happy holiday. Stay safe everyone.