Whether you work in the field of industrial power, make vegan sausages or are happily retired; the Coronavirus pandemic has cast a long and oppressive shadow over us all during the past 12 months. How do we reflect on the year that has been, both personally and professionally? Do we sweep this one under the carpet of consciousness? Or are there lessons to be learned from 2020, that can better shape our 2021?
The unprecedented and emotively alarming nature of the pandemic placed a huge amount of stress on our staff, customers, suppliers, and their families as the stories began to break on the news in January. A strange virus in a faraway land became a very local problem at light speed. Transmissibility was frighteningly high; this was not like SARS or MERS. Typically, in times of crisis, the media took a sensationalistic turn. Panic began to set in….
Suddenly, there was no spaghetti or toilet roll in the shops. Hand sanitiser was selling on the black market at nonsensical prices. It was hard not to feel annoyed at the selfishness of the individual. What song did that sing for humanity? Not a tuneful one.
By mid-March we were in a nationwide ‘lockdown’. Most of us were happy to be in that position; the hospitals were filling up and the grimmest tally of all – the death toll – was rising fast. A financial package of support was agreed by the government, the majority of people could stay at home with limited loss of income and the tide of the infection and fatalities began to turn for the better.
Working from home became a reality for many, a burden for some, a triumph for others. Business reeled at the implications of an overnight remote workforce. Front line workers, key workers and NHS staff did not have this luxury and instead placed themselves in harms way for the good of us all. That says a lot more about the empathy and humanity of our species than panic buying toilet rolls – faith restored in that regard.
An epidemic of loneliness soon followed the pandemic of disease. Whilst many of us were drawn closer to our families during lockdown, many others were alone, isolated, and afraid. We entered an unchartered world of bubbles, self-isolation, conversing on doorsteps and shouting through windows. The intrinsic social nature of humanity was being torn and frayed by forced patterns of behaviour, ironically designed to protect the population – but potentially harming the individual.
By midsummer, many people had lost their lives. Many others had become seriously ill with symptoms that would go on to have long lasting health effects. The human, personal cost was real. Daily desensitisation to the statistics on the television screen masked the pain of bereavement, the hopelessness of loss. The memory of those who passed cannot be swept into the dustbin of history as a statistic.
Out of lockdown and into another less stringent package of measures. To a more stringent package of measures. Back to lockdown. And so on, and so forth. Messaging became mixed, confused and most of the population were distant from the illness. Fatigue set in and compliance waned; as we approached the end of 2020, infection rates were on the rise and the future looked uncertain as ever.
The announcement of several vaccines saw stock markets bounce back to life. Their approval and subsequent roll out gave hope to many. Finally, a way back into the light? That much is not clear, but our collective fingers are crossed for a 2021 which sees a return to ‘normal’. At its core that ‘normal’ is the resumption of unfettered social interaction. A rebound in economic activity is a secondary concern. Hugs and kisses. That is what makes us whole; what makes us human.
If I have held your attention for this long, you are probably thinking “what has this got to do with generators, industrial power and the grumble of a V8 diesel?”. Well, nothing really – and I make no apologies for that. I simply wanted to reflect on the good and the bad in a challenging year. That said, can we learn lessons from 2020 that will help us to be better professionals and individuals? I believe we can.
Panic buying and profiteering reminds us that we must not be selfish. The sacrifice of front-line workers reminds us that empathy and generosity increase the happiness of the recipient as well as the agent. We are reminded that family and time spent with them is important, more than anything. Looking out for our lonely neighbours should not be the reaction to exceptional times; it should be something we do as a matter of course. We should remember those who have passed and the sacrifice of the people who fought to save them. We cannot forget that as a society, we are coping, and we will win through in the end. We are all capable of success in adversity, we should strive for it. We are reminded as employers that the physical, and crucially, mental health of our staff cannot be left to chance. Bickering serves no-one; non-collaborative governments showed us that we must always strive to work together. Short term views on economic activity provide poor models for forecasting. Take the balanced view, listen to all of the experts – not just the ones who are your friends.
2020 is an instruction manual for how to do things better.
2021 signifies a seismic step forward for iPower; we carry the experience of a challenging year into our existing plans for significant growth. Our story is only just beginning. 2020 will stay on a shelf, but it is much too important to be swept under the rug.
We are rooting for you all in 2021.