INDUSTRY NEWS
THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF BUILDING (CIOB) BELFAST HUB COMMITTEE GIVE THEIR REACTION TO THE COVID-19 CRISIS... Awhole newnormal
www.ciob.org
GARY BLAIR FCIOB ROLE: Chair of the CIOB Belfast Hub committee DAY JOB: PRE-CONSTRUCTION MANAGER, FARRANS CONSTRUCTION COMMENT: It’s a whole new normal. Working from home for me was a once in a blue moon occurrence, mainly born out of necessity to let a plumber in to fix a leaking shower, or a delivery of a new washing machine when only a slot between 8am and 3pm could be confirmed. How times have changed. Now working from home is the new norm, without the break in the day to interact with the plumber or the team installing that new appliance. It’s the same for most of us now as we adapt to a new way of working and throw ourselves into crash courses in Teams, Skype and Zoom - something I thought only a camera did a little over three weeks ago. Within my business and no doubt others, priorities have changed. Whether in the short term or long term is yet to be seen, but reduced staff levels across the industry and increased workloads on retained staff have more than ever brought the subject of protecting mental health to the fore in our industry. It is now more important than ever. Reflecting on the whirlwind that has been the past weeks and what I once took for granted and now miss include, believe it or not, the drive to and from work. Those 40 minutes, particularly at the end of a working day enabled me to decompress from the events of the day and enjoy life outside of work when I got home - a natural break. That no longer exists, and the working day rolls seamlessly into post work. Regular breaks from the screen are also something that we all need to learn to manage, not least to ensure we get regular mental breaks from a work
ROGER GILLESPIE FCIOB ROLE: Vice-Chair of the CIOB Belfast Hub committee DAY JOB: MANAGING DIRECTOR, TRAINING LMS COMMENT: I reacted quickly to the lockdown and made the decision to move all of Training LMS’s CIOB training programmes to online learning. This judgement call has enabled all existing programmes to continue. It has also ensured we can cater for those sitting at home and looking for a productive way to pass their time. In addition to the provision of classes for local contractors, programmes by Training LMS are currently running for candidates across the UK and Ireland. The CITB NI grant aid has continued to assist local eligible contractors to secure assistance towards training costs.
Gary Blair FCIOB, Chairman of the CIOB Belfast Hub Committee and Pre-Construction Manager at Farrans Construction
day that is no longer 9 to 5. Now that the plumber and cooker men aren’t available to talk to through the day, I am increasingly thankful for the video capabilities of Skype, Teams and Zoom. It is amazing how therapeutic it is to see individuals or groups in their new working surroundings, whether it be the dining room, spare bedroom, study, or given the current weather we are enjoying, garden. It also comes with a side-effect, the need to keep up appearances, so to speak, with our clothes and personal grooming. I can’t help think how times have changed as I listen to the news this morning report on members of the legal profession joining calls from the comfort of their beds. The new normal is a strange place alright, but we are resilient and adaptable in the construction industry. We are adjusting - and business goes on. “Howtimes havechanged. Nowworking fromhome is thenewnorm.”
Roger Gillespie FCIOB, Vice- Chairman of the CIOB Belfast Hub Committee and Managing Director of Training LMS
“I reactedquickly to the lockdown.”
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