“There are seldom, if ever, any hopeless situations, but there are many people who lose hope in the face of some situations.” – Zig Ziglar

We are certainly all experiencing Covid-19 fatigue by now, and the accompanying uncertainty of when we can all return to life as we once knew it is yet another quandary without a clear answer. If we adhere to the idea that the one single constant in life is change, then dealing with a new normal will be easier to accept. As Zig’s quote above reminds us, we are not in a hopeless situation, but the loss of hope is what can drag some people down.

If you’ve lost business, been laid off, or if your company has gone under completely, then it’s understandable that you’d be less than hopeful at this point. Couple that with the fact that shelter-in-place orders are being extended nationwide, and it gets all the more frustrating.

But, we all need to face the facts and deal with these realities in an effort to bounce back and overcome these challenges. If this includes a long look in the mirror and a frank gut check, so be it. No one said life would be fair, but a very wise person once said, “it’s not what happens to us, it’s how we deal with what happens to us that matters.” Not sure that person was Zig Ziglar, but it’s a phrase that bears strong consideration.

Here are some other things to consider, and plan for, as we all get to the task of getting America back to work.

The road less traveled by

If you’ve lost your job, now’s the time to do some soul searching and determine how you’re going to start working again. Your industry may now have an entirely different look and feel as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. Are you prepared to make those adjustments? If you have successfully been able to work from home, is that something you may want to continue? Can business function effectively without face to face meetings and handshakes? Can we use Zoom or Microsoft Teams to conduct all of our meetings? Should you take this opportunity to get into an entirely new line of work? The point here is that we’ve all been pushed into a crossroad and need to choose a path or navigate the direction our particular industry or company will head in. This is a time for self-reflection in terms of leveraging your particular strengths in an effort to determine what your work life is going to look like as we all move forward.

Mask, check. Gloves, check. Hand sanitizer, check.

What will going out in public look like? Will you be required to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at work? Have your temperature checked? We all need to be prepared for changes in this area, and we all need to be prepared for interacting with others who will rely upon their own individual choices concerning the use of some, all, or maybe no PPE, despite the advice of noted medical experts. Being prepared for this will be necessary, along with continued guidance on what’s recommended to protect yourself and others in the workplace, and in other public places.

May I have this dance?

People are social creatures. We generally enjoy and seek out the society of others, but what about jumping on a crowded elevator in an office building? Can you hold your breath all the way up to the 25th floor? How will you get to work or to meetings? Subway? Car? Bus? Airplane? Bike? Walk? Does your work require you to be in an office full time or even part time? And that’s to say nothing of someone serving food in a restaurant, bar, or a sporting venue. How, when, and where you work or interact with clients, customers, and associates may be just as important as what you choose to do for work. Consider the options and decide accordingly.

The cure may be killing us

We may not be able to solve the worlds’ problems in a short blog, but we do need to consider the costs of not returning to work in a timely manner. This is not to say we do so in a cavalier fashion, void of all precaution, but our overall economy sitting idle is not a good thing. We all need the challenge offered by meaningful work in order to be fulfilled in life and every day we don’t engage in that beneficial activity is another day lost. If you’ve been able to function and make your contributions from home, great, but a large majority of people earn their livelihood in a manufacturing plant, warehouse, restaurant, barbershop, etc. Each business that provides valued goods and services is essential and should be allowed to reopen. We don’t have time here to address the ramifications of shelter-in-place orders, in some cases leading to substance abuse, growing concerns about obesity, or domestic violence as a result of people being forced to stay at home rather than work, but these are serious issues added to the mix.

In summary, let’s not lose hope in our ability to meet challenges in challenging times. May our government bodies work in the best interest of the constituents they’re obligated to serve and form reasonable policies that respect our rights and safety, but allow the freedoms we enjoy as US Citizens, one of which is to be gainfully employed in our chosen field of endeavor.

All of us here at STS Staffing understand the need for getting America back to work, so please contact us if you’re looking for a job or if your company needs employees to help your organization prosper and grow as we emerge from this economic pause.