How are Businesses’ Feeling Right Now?

Here I am, writing this from my at-home desk, set up in my living room with my bunch of sunflowers smiling next to me to brighten my day.

Over the past couple of weeks, as things have been constantly changing, I have been chatting to and checking in with a lot of businesses’ who we work closely with and it has been amazing to see how different organisations are doing their best to stay positive and be innovative in their approach at this time.

I wanted to give a bit of an insight into how the market is responding to COVID-19 and what might lie ahead for those who are just beginning to feel the impact of the pandemic. Of course, it is affecting our economy and there has been a significant decline in hiring growth in Australia for several reasons. But it has been refreshing to see the amount of people who are adapting to change and doing what they can to just make it work.

This week, I have been checking in with all my clients – purely just asking if they are OK. Something so simple has gone such a long way. My clients have shared with me what they are doing to stay motivated, what they have their staff doing to keep them motivated, what projects they are working on, and even shared some tips for home-schooling my kids (I am struggling!!)

A large commercial developer has been hosting lunch time Zoom conferences and having lunch delivered to each of their staff members’ homes, as if they are eating it all together like a normal lunch time meeting… how great is that!?

I posted recently about a client of mine incorporating social distancing in interviewing candidates by going for a lap or two around the block for the interview. I absolutely loved this idea! Rather than cancel the interview or do it over Zoom, the client was adaptable, innovative and creative in making this work.

We have also been giving the option of temp assignments for candidates who are currently looking for work or have been made redundant, in order to support those companies who might be looking at taking someone on but are uncertain about how the next 3-6 months might pan out.

Change can bring on all kinds of emotions but coming to a place of acceptance is so important when this arises. Life keeps moving, and we have two choices – we either roll with it and make it work, or we accept defeat. My team and I were chatting in our huddle this morning about how this might be our new “normal” for a while – we actually kind of laughed about it but being serious at the same time!! We must accept the situation we are in and accept that we have no control over what is currently going on. Approach change as a process, be ready to move at your own pace and most importantly, be easy on yourself.

One of the things we have appreciated more over the past week is that the Construction, Architecture, Engineering and Property industry professions have always been a great community and it is in these times that we can and should come together to show our unity and resolve to get through and come out stronger than before.

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