Michael’s Letter to Team Members
One of the best parts of my job is meeting our customers and partners where they live and work, and seeing firsthand all the amazing things they are doing with our technology. But like everyone, I’ve been grounded for nearly five months — riding out the pandemic and waiting for everything to get back to normal. But what we’re all coming to realize is that whatever or whenever normal happens, it isn’t going to be anytime soon.
When this started, there was a sense of novelty. The novel coronavirus also came with novel ways to live and work and communicate, and with all of us in it together and an abundance of goodwill and kindness and generosity of spirit, we’ve helped each other safely through. Now, the novelty is wearing thin. We’re all done with coronavirus, but unfortunately, the virus isn’t done with us.
This is going to be a marathon and it’s going to be uneven and frustrating at times. Some of our sites are opening… others are not. Some schools will start in person and others will not. And as hot spots flare up and down over the coming months, local situations will quickly change. We are all going to have to be incredibly flexible, agile and patient. Patient with each other and patient with ourselves and our families. And we are going to have to take a longer-term view of the new normal.
Back in March we made a quick pivot and kept our business running, delivering essential services and solutions for our customers. Now we’re reorienting our business toward new customer priorities, aligning with our customers’ needs to continue to do it fast and to also to do it right for the long-term transformation of their businesses. Our work and family situations also need to be secure and sustainable.
COVID-19 has made one thing clear – work is something you do, an outcome, not a place or a time. We want you to have the flexibility to weather this storm safely and productively, however long it lasts. In many cases we’ve seen that you can be more productive working remotely. I encourage you to talk with your managers about what flexibility you and your families may need. It will likely look different for each of us, and that’s OK.
This next phase will be all about resilience and grit – and we’re going to have to dig deeper into that well of goodwill and kindness and generosity, which are going to be more important than ever.
I’ve never been prouder of you, of this company and of our collective spirit and culture. Thanks to everyone for staying safe, remaining flexible and delivering for our customers during this unique period. We will get through this together.
Michael