Adapting to “Real-Life”​ Work: COVID-19
By: Allison Bogart
Tags: Work Life Balance, Covid Diaries, Greatplacetowork, Work From Home

“During this time, we are all getting to know each other in different ways. We are real people with real lives — this is a time where we are realizing “real-life” work. If a child appears on a web camera or a dog barks, it’s okay, and we will adapt together. We all need to be flexible with each other as we care for our families, customers and communities.” -Alistair Macdonald, CEO Syneos Health

I read this message from our CEO as we were told to begin working from home, and that’s when it really hit me — things were changing. Fast.

I’ve officially been home for almost 7 full weeks, and who knows how many weeks are still ahead. After working from home all day, and then not being able to leave the house to go out to eat at a restaurant or meet up with friends after work still feels strange. One of my colleagues in China was home for 47 days, and another shared her personal experience early in the pandemic as her mom and family members were diagnosed with COVID-19. I’m not sure what’s coming next exactly, but what I do know is everyone is having to give each other grace during this time as we realize what “real-life” work looks like.

Coming together when we feel so far apart

I can’t tell you how many kiddos I’ve seen pop on to webinar screens (let’s be honest, it often provides a good laugh and a lot of comic relief), and there’s no telling how many times people have heard my dog barking in the background (she just wants to join the conversation and go #Red4Research too!). But when we feel so far apart, these little moments of humanity bring us that much closer together.

Alistair couldn’t have said it better. We are real people — balancing work, kids, health concerns, and other priorities — but at Syneos Health, we’re also people with a purpose and a passion to help change lives. So many people in the health care industry around the world are on the front lines trying to do anything they can to help flatten the curve. To those people putting their own health on the line for the rest of us — I have no words. Thank you doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Caring for our families, customers, and communities

While — even now — I’m still adjusting to what “real-life” work looks like for me and my family as we commit to staying home, I’m proud to:

work for a company that puts the health and safety of their employees, customers, and patients first.

see we are using our expertise to launch a Ventilator Initiative Task Force to uncover innovative ways to help with potential hospital ventilator shortages. (How are we doing this you ask? By helping provide training and informational resources to health care providers with a “bridging option” to potentially delay or remove the need for mechanical ventilation for some COVID-19 patients.)

feel that our company and all of our leaders are embracing “real-life” work and believe focusing on our total health — physical, emotional, and community — is critical to getting through this together.

know when times are uncertain, we’re navigating through by living our values to challenge the status quo, collaborate to deliver (much needed) solutions, and using our passion to help change lives.

To all of you out there living your new normal — I raise my full cup of coffee to you. Stay safe. Stay well.