INDUSTRY NEWS
CIOB resourcefulness is ingrained
JOHN REID FCIOB ROLE: Member of the CIOB Belfast Hub committee DAY JOB: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
SEAN O’BRIEN MCIOB ROLE: Co-opted Member of the CIOB Belfast Hub Committee DAY JOB: M&E MAINTENANCE OFFICER WITH THE EDUCATION AUTHORITY FOR NORTHERN IRELAND
COMMENT: Most of us have
COMMENT: As with everyone, the current unprecedented and unexpected situation has necessitated some unusual changes to my normal routine. The Derry Central Library, my usual place of work, is now closed to the public and staff. The key was turned in the door on Tuesday, March 24, initially for four weeks. However, at the time of writing this, the lockdown period has now been extended for a further three weeks.
developed or assisted in the development of a Disaster Recovery Plan and Business Continuity Plan for our businesses. Being prepared was the sensible thing to do. We looked at scenarios such as explosions that meant road closures, ash cloud restricted travel, fire on site, that sort of thing. We planned contingencies, such as setting up a ‘war’ room, satellite offices, internal and external information coordination teams. We looked at IT resources, payroll, travel team and
Sean O’Brien MCIOB, Co-opted Member of the CIOB Belfast Hub Committee and M&E Maintenance Officer with the Education Authority for Northern Ireland
John Reid FCIOB, Member of the CIOB Belfast Hub Committee and Business Development Manager
“We have been forced to adapt, andquickly.”
I am fortunate that I am able to work from home, and whilst the majority of schools are closed there is still administration required in respect of previous response and project works and projects carried out pre-lockdown. Contact with work colleagues is being maintained (for the craic) via a WhatsApp link. Now that I have more time on my hands, according to the ‘missus’, I’ve no excuse for not turning my hand to all those little jobs that were always on the long finger. I have power washed anything that isn’t tied down, repainted fences, washed windows, fixed the cross trainer and tidied the garage. Of course, we are all aware of how difficult a time this is for many people directly impacted by coronavirus, but I have to admit that the situation has resulted in more family meals now being enjoyed together around the kitchen table. That family time is great, although I’m not sure I’m revelling quite so much in my new responsibility as the family’s weekly shopper. I can’t believe how the price of the grocery bill has increased - might even have to stick spuds into those raised beds. “I have power washed anything that isn’t tieddown, repainted fences, washedwindows, fixed the cross trainer and tidied the garage.”
logistical support to ensure our businesses could be maintained at a level that could lead to a rapid return to ‘business as usual’. Plans were built around the presumption that we could continue to work in small departmental teams detached from a Head Office, with sites generally working as normal unless they were the focal point of the disaster or emergency. What we never expected or had to contend with was a complete lockdown, a scenario where businesses were closed down, sites closed completely, staff housebound and travel prohibited for the majority of our industry. What has come out of the COVID-19 pandemic locally, nationally and globally is we have been forced to adapt, and quickly. This has included working from home to protect our businesses, industry and ultimately the greater economy. Resourcefulness is ingrained in our industry, it’s why we can design, procure and construct exceptional projects to challenging budgets and time frames. It’s why we have instinctively demonstrated ingenuity to a greater degree than we perhaps even realise. Keep going, keep doing what you’re doing. Keep in contact, both internally and externally, and we will not only recover when this is over, but we will THRIVE.
34 | NI BUILDER
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