2020 In Review: A year of many lessons.
One would traditionally save their thoughts and reflections on the year for December. But as anyone in the Salesforce ecosystem knows, the holiday period is actually one of our busiest times of year! So I’m seizing the opportunity now to stop and review 2020. Where do you even begin?
We started this tumultuous year in the thick of Australia’s devastating bushfire season, blanketed in a cloud of smoke and uncertainty. One disaster gave way to the next — literally. As the fires started to subside in March we were hit with the COVID-19 panic. It seemed like just a few weeks between learning of the virus, and starting to lock down our cities. None of us could have predicted the enormous changes that lay ahead.
I have been in recruitment for well over a decade, and this year was entirely new to me. It struck me at many moments during the year that no matter how experienced or well-prepared we think we are, there is always an unexpected challenge waiting to happen. And while our losses this year were exceptional — of lives, of jobs, of whole industries — it also taught some valuable lessons along the way. Here were my top three.
1/ You cannot replace human connection
Like most of you, I feel like I spent most of this year plugged into a call. Whether it was via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype, or just an old-fashioned phone call; I was overwhelmed at the sheer number of calls. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.
As someone who previously committed to face-to-face meetings with all my candidates and clients, human connection is everything to me. Sure, a phone or video call isn’t quite the same, but the ability to check in and have a chat was crucial in such an isolated, high-stress period. Unlike others, I baulked at using email for my communications — some things need a personal touch.
2/ Finessing your business processes takes time and commitment
Having more time at home without the daily commute and meetings gave me the opportunity to deep dive into my brand, and iron out some of my working processes. Like any growing business, our motto until now was simple: go faster, go harder, go louder! But what about ‘go smarter’? The 2020 lockdown really gave me the chance to consider a more streamlined approach to my business.
Being able to reflect on how we source, manage, and place people and positions was invaluable. I’m sure many of you found the same thing: being forced to re-evaluate even the most basic of tasks invariably led to a reflection on many other parts of the business, too. My To Do List has never been shorter, and my daily process more efficient. I’ll be dedicating more time to my systems and processes every year moving forward, that’s for sure.
3/ A healthy work-life balance is more important than anything else
This was a year of widespread heartache. In among the grumbling about facemasks and toilet paper shortages, people lost their lives, their jobs, their sense of stability, and their plans for the future. It was a year of really taking stock of what is important, and what deserved more love and attention in our busy lives.
The day-to-day grind can all too often distract us from what really matters — our families, our health, and our happiness. How many of you discovered a new sense of work-life balance? Without the flotsam and jetsam that comes with office life, I found myself filling the day with walks in the park, cooking with my partner, and generally being more present. My goal for 2021 is to carry over this attitude, even as life resumes its former pace.
4/ Remote working arrangements DO work.
Until this year, most corporate clients were pretty hesitant to explore remote and out-of-office working environments. Concessions were made for new parents, those with a long commute, or a consulting period. But all day, every day? No way. 2020 took away the choice and forced all Australians into new, remote working situations, and guess what? It wasn’t a disaster!
I have long been an advocate for melding at-home working with office contact hours. I’ve seen it work to great success in many situations, but I could see so many of my clients remained skeptical. It’s been a pleasure to witness technology like Slack, Google Hangouts, Microsoft Teams, and of course, Zoom, convince them otherwise. A little bit of a trust and a whole lot of creativity proved to us all that the future of work doesn’t have to be limited to an office.
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Of course, these are just three lessons from a much longer list. Other honorary mentions would be: learning that my cats are the true stars of my Zoom calls, realising that I much rather attending meetings in t-shirts to suits, and Zoom beers have nothing on the real deal!
Thank you all for your continued support throughout 2020, especially as we all worked overtime to recalibrate our ways of working. I feel so lucky to have been given the chance to help many of you find the perfect role or candidate — what a positive year of change it was for so many! The next time we talk 2020 will almost be over, so I encourage you too to take the time to reflect on how this year has changed you.
Until then,
Garth.
