A Message to our Employees from driasi's CEO Regarding COVID-19

March 23, 2020

Good morning to all,

I hope you and your families are all feeling well and that you had an enjoyable weekend, despite difficult circumstances. 

We now have everyone working from home, with the exception of certain functions that for security and privacy reasons, are required to be done in our secure facilities. Employees in those roles will be compliant with social distancing guidelines, and may be rotating with back-up resources for each position. 

I’m very proud of how Team driasi is weathering these stormy times. With a very organized approach to moving most employees to remote work, we are continuing to support our clients and their customers without interruption. With limited exceptions, all of the initiatives in our business development pipeline are continuing and marketing plans are on track. I will be as transparent as possible, should circumstances negatively impact our revenue forecasts, however we do not foresee any major changes at this time. 

There has been a great deal of speculation regarding the potential for federal, state, provincial or building shut downs. Although we can’t anticipate every curve ball that may be thrown, we have contingency plans for many scenarios. 

There are rumors of martial law being declared, curfews etc. Please don’t panic about these rumors. We have all heard government officials say, “nothing is off the table”. The reality is that some civil liberties may have to be temporarily restricted to save lives. If we all do our part, it will be a short-term inconvenience for the greater good. I encourage you to get the facts before you decide how to react. Your managers are here to support you, so if there are specific questions or concerns regarding how we will manage under various circumstances, please let them know. 

While we are working from home, it can be a real challenge to be as productive as we would normally be. We don’t all thrive in isolation, but if anyone knows about that topic, it’s an astronaut. I had the pleasure of meeting Chris Hadfield recently, and he has some great tips to help you run your spaceship!:

https://www.cnet.com/news/nasa-astronaut-chris-hadfield-shares-tips-for-self-isolation/

Make a schedule: having a routine is key to maintaining order in your life. Even though you don’t have the commute to work, get up at the same old time, get dressed as if you were going to work, schedule your household tasks the same way you would, if you were working at the office. 

Scheduling is even more important for those of you with families, as you balance the need for children to study, have time to go outside and exercise etc. If the kids enjoy arts and crafts and you’re looking to keep them busy, one idea is to have them make a card for your local long term care, nursing home or hospital. There are so many people with no one visiting and they will be ever grateful for the kindness. Now, more than ever, we need to look after those who are most vulnerable in our communities. For those of you on Facebook, you will find numerous resources on how to contribute to “caremongering”. 

Most importantly, stay positive! This won’t last forever and when it’s back to normal, we will all appreciate more than ever before, shaking a hand, hugging a friend, waiting for a table in a restaurant, the annoying guy munching popcorn in the theatre, full shelves at the grocery store and many more of life’s little nuances. 

We’re all in this together and I know that Team driasi is up for the challenge! Thank you for your continued patience, teamwork and flexibility during these trying times. 

There are plenty of good things happening in the world, but you’d never know it by watching the news. You don’t need to check every five minutes, but here are a few highlights: Global pollution is down dramatically, people are spending more time with their kids, local breweries are stepping up to make hand sanitizer, manufacturers are re-tooling to make medical supplies and the penguins finally got to visit the zoo:

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/mobile/video?playlistId=1.4855558

In the spirit of keeping spirits up, we are going to have a contest, and there will be prizes, so make note of your favorite pandemic meme, cartoon or joke. Details to follow this week. 

Your managers will be in (virtual) close contact, but please don’t hesitate to reach out to any member of the executive team, if you have un-answered concerns. 

Have a great week and thank you for looking after our customers!

Jennifer 

Jennifer J. Toal

C.E.O.