Working from Home: The New Normal
I’m Mike Bowden, the Group Marketing Manager for Cory Brothers, a leading logistics and maritime service provider, and I’m currently based in one of the extensive and unique “home offices” worldwide.
My home office is named “Patio Vista” and is situated in my Kitchen, located in the beautiful Suffolk Town of Felixstowe. “Patio Vista” is frequently a shared space with my family (My wife Kate and twin boys James & Charlie) or as they have been re-categorised in this new era,“co-workers”.
Our new daily routine is a balancing act of moods and unsurprisingly, key areas; the fridge, toilet & TV. James are Charlie are being educated at home by their virtual teachers and so far, so good. They’re in front of screen like so many of us.
Like millions of other people around the world, our home has become smaller but warmer, noisier yet quieter too, confining yet re-assuring and essentially our sanctuary from an invisible new C-word of fear. In these dark times I find that a sense of humour is essential (along with chocolate and some choice tipple – didn’t mentioned loo roll), we’re literally having to smile in the face of adversity and ensure we all keep pushing on. Our role as a business within the Logistics sector is recognised by the Government as KEY. Some of my colleagues have to go into the offices or assist with vessel arrivals and departures at various ports around the UK, night or day.
I’m speaking with our customers and suppliers every day, to check what is needed, what we can do and to try and solve problems; that’s what ALL of my colleagues are doing. The situation is very changeable but there is so much of acceptance of limitations and equally so much admiration for ALL key workers who really are keeping the UK going.
As a business, we now have a different appreciation of our wider importance and essentially of the people that make our business what it is. We’re supporting each other in many different ways; video chats, whats app group funnies, group news updates on TEAMS: to see each other is instinctively helpful during times of crisis and isolation, we’re sending each other “work from home” photos that really help and provide insight to how we live at home, our humour and our empathy. Who knew we all have so many pets?
We’re all doing what we can to get through these unchartered waters. We will make it through and it will take some time. We will have to deal not only with loss but a new frontier: how we work, communicate and how we value each other will be different for most of us – hopefully better. For now, we’ll keep calm and carry on and ensure the supply chain keeps working.
If you’d like advice for your supply chain please contact: sales@corybrothers.com
Or contact us via our social media pages: Cory Brothers Ship Agency, Cory Brothers (Logistics), Cory Bros Shipping Agency
