#OurNewNormal: Jesper and Steve

It is clear that a lot of things changed throughout 2020 and that people have been working on what their ‘new normals’ look like. So, we decided to share a some of these stories. You can check out Steve Stackpoole’s and Jesper Frimann’s below.

#OurNewNormal: Jesper Frimann

Since mid-March of 2020, Jesper Frimann, the EMEA Corporate Creative manager, has not been back to the William Cook Europe (WCE) premises, in Bjaeverskov, Denmark. His new office is on the second floor of his house in Greve, about 21 km, or approximately 13 miles, southwest of Copenhagen.

“In the first months of the pandemic, I was alarmed,” Jesper said. “It all felt like a dystopian movie, and I could not help but wonder how people would react to such an extraordinary global situation.”

However, Jesper explained that the way the Danish authorities dealt with this crisis and their open communication about their decisions helped him find new ways to face the ‘new normal.’

A new set of challenges

Jesper used to spend every day with his team members, which made it easy to pick up on if someone’s mood or behavior changed. When they all started to work from home, he found it difficult to sense if his team was doing ok in this new situation, and it took him some time to figure out how to cope with it.

“I kind of fumbled in the dark trying to figure out how to be there for my team without actually being there. That was a new challenge for me,” Jesper said.

For Jesper and his team, they decided that sharing and communicating regularly was going to be their plan to keep everyone in the loop and to try and make sure that everyone was doing ok.

Staying in touch

The communication idea worked very well with his direct colleagues from the Danish office, and additionally, it worked to help Jesper stay in touch with his US-based coworkers.

“A few weeks before lockdown was enforced in some of the European countries, we decided to have at least two calls a week,” he said.

“We all committed to them, and we went ahead even when there was no agenda. These calls are still taking place now,” Jesper added.

The regularity of these conversations created a brand-new global trust and collaboration between the two continents. The internal networks developed, expanded, and became stronger, too.

Even though physical distance became huge aspect of the ‘new normal,’ Jesper and his colleagues worked to make feelings of separation disappear as much as possible. Along with creating virtual rooms in which they discussed the next steps of each project, they also made time to share bits and pieces of their daily lives outside work, too.

The spices in our lives

“I truly miss the physical interaction with my direct colleagues,” he said.

“I miss the banter and the stories we would share face-to-face after the weekend. I think they are comparable to spices in our lives,” Jesper continued.

Even though there have been a lot of pros and cons that have developed from his ‘new normal,’ Jesper shared that he has never been so happy about his job and has been using this change to use his time better and to be more focused.

“I might work more hours in this ‘new normal,’ but I also feel this new setup adds a sense of flexibility for me to plan my day better both from a professional and a private point of view,” he said.

“For me, this has made me feel better about my work and my private life, and I like to think of it as a win-win situation!” Jesper said.

#OurNewNormal: Steve Stackpoole

Since March of 2020, Steve Stackpoole, an Audit Escalation specialist based at the the EMEA Support Centre, has been working from his home in Shannon, Ireland.

“I am currently working from my garden shed four days a week. It is a bit a quieter than my kitchen and I am out of everyone’s way!” Steve said with a laugh.

In his new office, he has a proper desk and an office chair all set up, but the internet range from the house to the garden was a bit of a problem at first. Now, thanks to the aid of a helpful wifi extender, Steve is good to go in his garden headquarters.

“It feels more normal, now,” he said.“And the view from my window is a nice garden, which beats most office views! Although the rainy weather in Ireland has not changed!”

Staying in close contact

Before the switch to working at home, Steve worked from the EMEA Support Centre in Limerick, Ireland, five days a week. While he now goes into the office once a week, there are days that he misses being there full time.

“I miss the distinction between work and home,” said Steve. “In general, I think that it is easier to work from an office. Webex is great, but I feel it is not a proper replacement for interacting face to face.”

While he admits that he does not miss the car commute on those rainy mornings, Steve and his colleagues have replaced the traditional face-to-face interaction with regular Webex chats

“Our team has Webex meetings three days a week, so we are still in close contact,” he said.

“A highlight for me is our Monday call, during which we can catch up on all the exciting things we have, or more likely have not, done during the weekend during lockdown,” he said with a smile.

Calendars, music, and the future

To Steve, workdays seem to go by faster at home, but he finds that he relies on his calendar more for managing things. He often finds himself setting reminders to call people or follow-up on projects, since he no longer sees them every day and these conversations were often triggered just by interacting with his colleagues in the office. Since working from home, Steve’s passion for music has grown even stronger.

“Because I am alone in the shed, I stick the radio on sometimes, just so I do not start talking to myself!” Steve said, laughing. “And while music is great, it’s not the same as having company at the office.”

As he looks toward the future, Steve is excited to be reunited with his coworkers and friends.

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