#OurNewNormal: Mauro and Julia

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 Mauro Marzola’s and Julia Steinauer’s below.

#OurNewNormal: Mauro

For the last 10 years, as a Reproductive Health sales representative in the northeastern regions of Italy, Mauro Marzola has formed a number of close relationships with quite a few of his clients. Italy implemented a country-wide lockdown on March 9, 2020, as a COVID-19 safety measure, and almost immediately after, new guidelines were published by the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. These new parameters would shape the activities of the centers across the continent that carried out assisted reproductive technology procedures and would indefinitely change Mauro’s work.

“The first consequence of these decisions was the total closure of these clinics in Italy for roughly a month,” said Mauro.

A change of processes

During the early stages of the country’s health emergency, Mauro was only able to reach out to his clients through technology, especially because a great deal of his sales territory fell under the hardest-hit areas of Italy because of COVID-19. To stay updated and in contact with the clinics and clients, Mauro developed a system of calling them and using an app to communicate, especially with those that were working in cities like Bergamo, Veneto, and other surrounding provinces.

“While assisted reproductive technology procedures were not being performed as often as before, I knew that deliveries would continue to happen, and I wanted the hospitals to know that even if I could not be there physically, I was there to support them virtually,” Mauro said.

As certain things returned to normal in Italy, with aspects of the pandemic under greater control, the majority of the hospitals and IVF centers that Mauro worked with began to open back up. With safety in mind, many of these establishments would only allow appointments and site visits to take place through cautious planning.

“By law, and to ensure everybody’s safety, I could now go back to in-person contact with some of my customers, but only upon formal invites, which would be checked and validated upon entering the facility. Additionally, PPEs would need to be worn at all times, and I would be required to adhere to social distancing measures, as well,” Mauro said.

However, there were still a number of customers in various regions that would not be able to accept or receive visits from sales representatives for quite some time. Despite the distance, Mauro continued working diligently to serve his clients to the best of his abilities and offer support however he could.

An eventful year

In other aspects of this job, before the pandemic, Mauro would often work from home roughly one day a week. He would sort out paperwork, reply to tenders, and offer requests.

“Throughout this crazy, eventful year, there is something really big that I miss from my previous life,” Mauro said, “I miss my colleagues.”

“We are lucky as a team, because we have always had and maintained a strong, close relationship throughout the years, and we would call each other multiple times during the week, even before the pandemic,” he added about his immediate coworkers.

“And with the Spanish Reproductive Health sales team, we really have developed a special bond over time. I miss the playful teasing and sharing experiences with them outside of a professional setting, too,” he said.

A breath of humanity

In the small town of Piove di Sacco, in Veneto, near Padua, Mauro and his family became closer than ever over the past year. Mauro’s regular schedule was dismantled for a reason other than the pandemic. After breaking his wrist a few weeks after the COVID-19 cases first started to surge in Italy, he needed to spend a few weeks on sick leave. This gave him a chance to spend time with his 4-year-old son, Giacomo, and support his partner, Stefania, who was continuing to work from home as a teacher. After his wrist healed and he returned to work, he had a full schedule of training courses to take.

Not only that, but for Mauro, the flat he shares with his son and partner became a symbol of a new breath of humanity during the surreal months of 2020.

“While most people stopped traveling abroad in 2020, my family and I were lucky because we could spend some time driving our campervan during the summer months,” Mauro said.

“We were even luckier with our neighbors, though,” he said. “When the world suddenly became smaller, the relationship with people living in our same block of apartments became stronger and more important than before.”

“They became a link to the outside world and a source of connection and hope at a time of forced isolation,” he said.

Looking toward the future, Mauro and his family are excited for things to continue to get better in Italy and around the world. As things begin to turn more and more into the ‘new normal’ they are eagerly planning family adventures around the world, starting with a trip to Africa.

#OurNewNormal: Julia

On March 13, 2020, Julia Steinauer worked in the EMEA Support Centre for the last time before her personal and professional environment changed completely. Since then, due to the global pandemic, her new office has been her home in Ballina (County Tipperary), an Irish village on the River Shannon on the eastern shore of Lough Derg across Killaloe (County Clare), its twin town on the west bank of the lake.

Sometimes Julia considers herself a bit of a nomad within her own house. In the first months of the pandemic, she worked from her family’s guest bedroom where they have a fixed desk.

“However, once my partner, Trevor, who is a university lecturer, had to start teaching his students from home, we had to come to some new arrangements,” Julia said. “The guest bedroom is the only space guaranteed the least disruptions, and so I moved to my vanity desk in our bedroom while he was teaching.”

Working from home meets homeschooling

Due to the pandemic, flexibility has increasingly become one of the strongest assets when it comes to getting a day’s work done. For many people, things were changing quite quickly, and typical routines were turned upside down numerous times, especially with many schools and day-cares being temporarily closed down or moved to a virtual program.

Because of this, many working parents, like Julia, have faced an unprecedented situation when it comes to their children.

“On top of work, we had to manage home-schooling for our two daughters. For nearly three months, from December to early March, this meant I was constantly moving between the guest bedroom, the other bedroom, and the kitchen counter, so I could be there for them if they need support in their daily educational activities,” Julia said.

“I think I am very lucky with my daughters, Fina, who is 11 years old, and Léna, who is 8 years old,” Julia said. “They are not as dependent as younger children, and they can carry out their hobbies and activities without the amount of supervision that a toddler would require.”

Making time to get outside

With social distancing restrictions still enforced in most European countries, including where Julia lives, her family has gotten creative and adventurous with their extra time together.

Along with regular family movie nights, they also regularly have family dinners and take walks around town and out into nature.

“I have two mountains within my allowed travel range, Tountinna and Moylussa,” Julia said. “The latter is the highest peak of County Clare. At just above 530 metres above sea level, I am aware that this height would make some Alpine pioneers smile!”

“I cannot stress this enough: I am grateful I live in this part of Ireland. Sometimes I can even convince my children to come with me. Whereas our dog Trixie is always up for a proper run around a forest or bog!” Julia said with a laugh.

Along with her love of outdoorsy activities, Julia developed an interest and passion for foraging. As a child in Austria, her home country, she was always surrounded by nature, and people in her town and in her family would regularly talk about the local plants, wild fruit, and mushrooms.

“I picked this up again a few years ago,” Julia said. “Foraging and being in nature are like a meditation for me. They help me clear the cobwebs from my head. While I am outside, scanning my surroundings for wild free food, I am minding my mind.”

“Having experience with mental health issues, this is so important for me. It doesn’t mean I am out there every day or that I lead a super healthy and inspirational lifestyle, but I am trying my best and that’s all every one of us can do,” she added.

Geographically dispersed, but virtually close

Since 2018, Julia has been part of the global Marketing and Communication Customer Support & Delivery (CSD) team, alongside Joni Callis, Bridget Hanchek, Craig Hoggatt, and Summer Tan.

Being a geographically dispersed team for several years, with members in the United States, Singapore, and Ireland, they were used to different work experiences and exchanges even before the pandemic. Julia explained that when it comes to her collaboration and her working relationship with her direct team colleagues, she is happy to say that not much changed over the last year.

For Julia, the chit-chatting at the coffee station and quick walks during lunch break have been replaced by their virtual equivalents, when possible. She likes to go on WebEx lunch dates with her work fellows once a week, and once a month she has 20-minute coffee dates with some of her long-distance workmates, too.

“I do miss the spontaneity that only an office environment can provide,” Julia said.

While virtual reality cannot totally replace the human touch and the distance, it helps Julia and her friends maintain their relationships and positive energy at work.

“I believe these virtual tools can be seen and used as bridges which connect us in this strange global situation,” Julia said.

“They help us work together, but also function together until one day we meet again. And I know what I will do on that day. I will hug my colleagues,” she said with a smile and a wave, “You have been warned!”

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