Looking beyond COVID-19

We are craving watercooler chats, coffees with our colleagues and the faster pace of work that we so often complained about.  We miss dinners with friends, many are pining for their cancelled holidays and everyone is worried about the health of their loved ones.

However, let’s focus on the positives for a minute – there was a time, not so long ago when the thought of being at home with our families during the week and having more time to ourselves was something that we could only dream about.

Let’s use this time well and try to make the most of this change in routine.  Like everything else, this will pass and I’m sure we will miss this time when it’s gone.

There are plenty of productive things we can be doing to keep our spirits high, while still social distancing and keeping our community safe:

For hiring managers: 

• think about any future growth plans or gaps in your current team.  If you are able to do so, now is an excellent time to hire.  A lot of excellent talent is now becoming available; people have moved home from abroad, cut travelling short or are being laid off giving you a bigger pool of candidates than in recent times. Technology is allowing us to stay connected and move interview processes along. Here at The Panel, we are working on live jobs with our clients and organising interviews via Zoom, Webex and Skype for business. Interviews are happening quicker than usual as candidates/clients have more time and hiring decisions are being made without the traditional face to face meeting;

For employees:

• reflect on your career, update your CV and start brushing up on interview techniques.  My colleague Adam Ryan recently wrote a piece on video interviewing skills. Whether you are actively looking or not, there is no harm in being ready to go if you find an interesting opportunity; and
• check out The Panel Partner Sarah Kelly’s video with tips for updating your CV if you need any inspiration;

For everyone:

• use this extra time to learn something new and upskill.  Many e-learning platforms are offering discounts or free courses over the next few weeks to help people to fill their time during the crisis
• connect with friends near and far with phone calls or video calls, organise group quiz nights, remote dinner parties or book club meetings;
• use this time to get around to the home improvements or gardening that you keep putting off; and
• make the most of having a bit more time to spend with your family by going on lunchtime walks, playing games, eating dinners together, or by teaching your kids to cook, bake or ride a bike.

This is undoubtedly a time that we will all remember for the rest of our lives.  While we cannot control everything that will happen or for how long it will continue, let’s try and come out the other side with a few achievements and some good memories!