Supply As we’ve entered the final quarter of 2020, Covid-19 has not only become a constant and gloomy backdrop to our professional and personal lives but has emerged as a real catalyst for change that will influence society for years to come. Some of the changes will surely stay with us – including less travel, more homeworking and virtual meetings as well as increased digital selling, communications and marketing. At Red Bee, we initially settled into our new routines fairy quickly and adjusted well to our new circumstances. Now we are facing another, possibly even bigger challenge – keeping our spirits up for an undefined period of time, until we reach a new normal where in-person social interaction will again be part of daily life.
Back in March we were fully focused on putting measures in place to keep our staff, customers and partners as safe as possible, still making sure global audiences are informed and entertained through our service delivery, while not losing momentum in the growth and development of our business.
Six months later, I can confidently say that we lived up to our ambitions and I am very thankful for our passionate and competent people who have adapted and performed at their absolute best throughout this period. I am also hugely thankful for our customers putting their trust in us and the work we do. We have now established a long-term structure with which we can safely continue to serve our customers, both on-site and working from home throughout a continued pandemic and beyond.
One of the latest and greatest examples of the flexibility of our teams, was the delivery of TV5MONDEplus. This global streaming service with French-speaking content was successfully launched in hundreds of countries in early September, with the bulk of the work being done remotely throughout pandemic lockdowns.
Red Bee has clearly proven that we can deliver on our commitments and remain innovative throughout trying times. No worries there. But we need to be keenly aware of the stress a situation like the one we find ourselves in now is creating for everyone. Despite how well we have adjusted to new professional circumstances, we now need to focus even more on mental wellbeing and coping with a prolonged pandemic. No one really knows how long this is going to last and keeping our people healthy, happy and motivated is a key concern for me and my leadership team.
The lack of in-person meetings is starting to take a toll and in addition to sharing tips and resources on mental health, we are now exploring ways to increase social interaction across the company. We have already seen big and small initiatives between colleagues over the past six months, including afterwork drinks on video calls, shared running achievements on Strava in the “Red Run” group and international musical collaborations in the Isolations Jams band. We are happy to see that our people initiate these activities themselves, but we want to do more. In the weeks and months to come we will gather and share input from around the company and elsewhere on how to better interact and stay social connected throughout this time of isolation.
What is your best tip to keep in touch and stay socially connected during the pandemic?
Steve Nylund, CEO, Red Bee