Adjusting to the New Reality of Work

Our world changed this weekend. Monday morning met us with a new reality that we are struggling to adjust to.  The Frontier Signal team is diverse and multi-generational. Some of us work remotely, most work in Manhattan but live in outer suburbs or boroughs.  We have been working remotely since last week. But this morning feels different - even for us that have always been remote our normal is not. We are witnessing empty aisles and food cases in the grocery store, hearing the concern in our colleague’s voice as they worry about how to transition to a place where every aspect of our lives have been upended.  Some employees have children being schooled online and are now de-factor homeschooling or who have elderly parents or vulnerable family members they cannot visit for fear of transmitting disease. Some of us have been told to shelter in place for a couple of weeks. We are managing empathy and anxiety at the same time.

In only one day, positives are emerging. Our team is doing good in our communities already - the most popular is supporting small businesses by buying online gift certificates or merchandise. Another way our team is taking action is by donating money to food banks or restaurants that are pledging to feed school kids breakfast and lunch meals they would have received in school. Some have elderly neighbors and are doing grocery shopping for them. On a personal note, Dean Locke, our VP of Client Development, posted on LinkedIn: “Some silver lining amidst all of the uncertainty - working virtually has been an opportunity to bond & gain insight into the home lives of my colleagues - seeing their pets, families, and cookbooks.” People also shared how they are managing the anxiety that uncertainty brings - mountain climbing, going for a long bike ride, birding, cooking, and catching up on reading - activities that involve unplugging for a bit while practicing social distancing. 

Also, as a young startup company, this week we take a pause and engage in some pensive activities and internal tasks that we have not had time to execute on.  We are also reaching out to clients and prospects to see how we can help them take the plunge into virtual, augmented-intelligence tools like ours as an alternative to in-person recruiting activities.

Topics: remote work, remote teams

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