11
O P I N I O N
H ow does one lead operations during a pandemic? How does one navigate through operational challenges while acknowledging the needs of staff and clients? We had to figure it out quickly, albeit not perfectly. Achieve resilient, sustainable operations while navigating an unprecedented global pandemic and addressing complex disruptions. Navigating operations during global crisis
As the COO of a global environmental planning and sustainability consulting firm, I work collaboratively across all ADEC Innovations’ business units, namely FCS International and ADEC ESG Solutions, to successfully deliver services and products to our clients worldwide. March 2020 arrived and with it came an incredible amount of teamwork, hard work, and learning. The health and safety of our employees was priority No. 1 right at the onset of the pandemic. While we anticipated the potential for this in February and began to prepare, we had no idea what it would become. ADDRESSING OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES AND TOUGH DECISIONS. The first 60 days were a blur. Adrenaline driven, unsure about the complexity of this level of disruption on the business, on our teams, on their families, the situation necessitated leadership and rapid response. The uncertainty and rapid
escalation of the pandemic inspired tremendous efforts across our company – where the energy put forth by our teams was simply amazing. Faced with an evolving crisis that seemed to change on a daily basis, the pandemic significantly impacted our operations from top to bottom. ❚ ❚ Transitioning to a 100 percent remote staff. Within 48 hours, we had our staff of more than 100 working from their homes throughout the U.S. Our IT team continues to work diligently with each individual employee to ensure an effective and seamless home office configuration. ❚ ❚ Ensuring staff safety, engagement, productivity, and well-being. Communication was vital as we monitored local and national guidance alongside global reactions in real-time to keep our team informed frequently as the situation evolved. We
Patrick Schultz
See PATRICK SCHULTZ, page 12
THE ZWEIG LETTER FEBRUARY 22, 2021, ISSUE 1380
Made with FlippingBook Annual report