"Because of all the challenges brought about by the pandemic, I became more resilient as an individual, while providing service to the organization, doing my part and contributing to the shipping industry as a whole."
Franklin Lira, Chief Officer (currently on vacation, last vessel Bow Pioneer)
Which challenges have you met in the last year regarding COVID and the new Normal at work?
The challenges we met on board were many: First and foremost the delayed crew change, new procedures dealing with the Covid situation, the worries about family members' health at home, as well as my own and my fellow crew members' health at each port and at sea.
As the Chief Officer, I have the most time of having face to face with the people from shore. The challenge is ensuring compliance with the do’s and dont’s when meeting visitors (for example the full Covid PPE and social distancing).
How have you coped with these challenges?
As most of you know, life on board is challenging and we seafarers are not new to sudden changes of situations. Here's some of the things we do:
What has helped you the most?
The crew. Best support, cooperation and relationship among the crew I’ve been onboard my last vessel.
"A positive side with the new normal was to see how quickly we adapt to situations. Today, after living with Covid-19 for more than a year, we have been able to reinvent ourselves, we can see that we are able to do our work from any location, and that technology is in our favor, as communication systems, virtual subscription systems and well-developed programs.
We are able to see our possibilities for a better future in which we can add the good performance of our work with the quality of life for people."
Carina Marques, Administrative/Operational Assistant, São Paulo
Which challenges have you met in the last year regarding COVID and the new Normal at work?
It was a challenge to have all working properly for the home office, without impairing our job performance.
The biggest challenge was to find the way to facilitate the online work to all, across each sector.
There was a bit of insecurity in the beginning due to the doubt whether we would have everything we needed, such as equipment or documents, and even access to people.
How have you coped with these challenges?
Despite living such a hard moment, I tried to cope with enthusiasm as of a new challenge, doing the best to make good work and staying focused.
What helps you the most to cope?
With no doubt the way that the company handled it. We had a difficult moment when it all started, but Odfjell acted fast giving all necessary equipment to each employee, to the home office.
IT helped everyone to solve any issues with that adaptation. The company's system worked well. We had update meetings about the Covid-19 and how the company was doing its part.
We had complete information about our health plan and what to do in case of need, for those who have Coronavirus and for mental care. All this helped the employees to feel more confident and to go thru this moment with more positivism.
"If there was a positive effect of the new normal to the work setting, I think it is the fact that we are able to prove that we are productive even with the work from home setup in place. Since such was not common pre-pandemic, the mandatory implementation opened up opportunities that wouldn’t have been possible initially – being more technically dependent, and also taking advantage of online platforms to produce work, collaborate with colleagues, and share tasks. In addition, personally, I think I am able to help the environment since I do not use my vehicle to go to the office as frequently as we did before the pandemic, that’s less carbon footprint from me."
Mark Jason Sosa, Teamleader Ship Performance, Manila
Which challenges have you met in the last year regarding COVID and the new Normal at work?
At the onset of the work from home setup, my main challenge was ensuring that our team members were well-equipped to conduct their work from home. Initially, we had to work on the logistical arrangements, such as equipment, internet connection, and the like. With the support of our local management, IT, and everyone involved, we were able to be up and running as a team with very minimal delays and issues.
Moreover, the lack of physical/social interaction is a significant change and challenge I had to deal with. Knowing how tight-knit the Odfjell Shared Service Center family is, it was hard to adjust not seeing the colleagues you would see on a normal workday. Even if technology is able to bridge that distance, face-to-face interactions are different and more alive.
How have you coped with these challenges?
Logistically, we do not have as many issues as we initially had, so it is more of monitoring and being more proactive in identifying possible issues that may arise. As to the lack of social interactions with colleagues, when time permits, we would video call and check on each other, talk about things beyond work. From time to time, we would also schedule a specific date for when we will be working in the office and then have dinner after shift.
What helps you the most?
I think overall, the fact that we still have employment and that our company has tried its best to ensure that we are comfortable during this difficult time, is more than enough to help me cope with these challenges. Thinking about how others are not as fortunate as we are, it really is a feeling of gratefulness that keeps me sane and in touch with reality.
"The best side of the new normal under Covid-19 is that people can effectively and efficiently work from home. Experiencing and recognizing this was a paradigm shift for most companies. Those who live in big cities with long commutes can easily save several hours every day by working from home, not to mention all the stress around the daily commuting. And people with better work/life balance and reduced stress levels do better at home and at work.
Of course, there are pros and cons in everything and we always need to find the "sweet spot", but in my opinion, home-office is the best/positive thing that we learned from these very difficult times, which may make the future times better."
Marcelo Pasquali, VP Flumar Chartering, Operations and Business Development, São Paulo
Which challenges have you met in the last year regarding COVID and the new Normal at work?
From a physical perspective, we have dealt with several challenges. Some important ones (among many) were sub-optimal workplace at home, adaptation to new tools (such as videoconferencing apps) and to manage distractions - especially for those with younger kids.
From a psychological point of view, we have felt a rollercoaster of emotions: at first, we felt powerless and afraid, with no knowledge or control over what was happening. Then we got the hope back, as the situation seemed to be easing, but more recently, we felt really frustrated as we had the impression that things were nearing an end - but then it all came back, much worse than before. Now we see the light at the end of the tunnel again, with the vaccines.
How have you coped with these challenges?
Physical problems have been sorted out as time passed. As we realized that home-office could take long, the company started to provide better work conditions to employees. People got acquainted with the new tools, and the tools also improved with time. Additionally, the teams have developed a video conference etiquette, which has made meetings more efficient over time.
On the emotional side, different people felt it differently. Some are naturally optimistic and try to look at all this as "almost over". Others are more pessimistic. The best way to cope with it is to keep the morale up, at home and at work.
What helps you the most?
The trust that the company is doing everything it can to keep all employees safe, by implementing strict preventive measures or keeping them at home whenever possible. And last but not least, the maintenance of the jobs. Job security, in extremely difficult times like this, is a very powerful motivator.
“With proper time management, I now have more available time to work with less time being used on commuting. I find that the work/life balance is actually easier, my days have a greater flexibility. And I also find that I have become better acquainted with colleagues; we talk about different things online, in a different way, and you get a better insight in other people’s lives outside of work.”
Karianne Grønseth, Manager Competence Development, Bergen
Which challenges have you met in the last year regarding COVID and the new Normal at work?
At the beginning, I have to say that it was quite a challenge to balance work/life with home office, two kids with homeschooling and an ongoing renovation. But as schools reopened and we got more used to Teams meetings and settled into the home office, it’s quite ok – although I sometimes feel that I’m in a bit of a bubble and miss the larger team feel you get when meeting colleagues around the office.
How have you coped with these challenges?
I focus on the positives. It helped a bit just getting used to the whole working from home setup, online meetings, reaching out to people via Teams etc. By today, the digital setup has become the default habit and the days are more flexible – and I save a lot of time when I don’t have to commute to the office.
What helps you the most?
It helps to put some variations into my days, either by taking walks alone or with colleagues, by separating the home office space from the family time space, or simply to move from one room to another.
“Having WFH for more than a year, I have better planning on my working hours and family time. Although I may work over lunch hours or end the day slightly later, WFH has allowed me to perform my tasks in a more efficient way. At the same time, there is a deeper bond with my children that I would otherwise not be able to experience as a full-time working mother pre-covid.”
Yok Lian Soh, Accounting Manager, Singapore
Which challenges have you met in the last year regarding COVID and the new Normal at work?
It was a huge challenge in the initial stages when we had to work from home, especially when Singapore announced the start of ‘circuit breaker’ on April 7 2020. Not only did we have to move our work home, schools were also closed and we had to help the children when they switched to on-line learning. The usual term break was shifted as well. Everything that we were familiar with was upended and there was the constant worry about the safety of my family members because of the uncertainties of the Covid situation.
The total change in working environment created a whole new type of stress and anxiety. Where it was not enough to be multi-tasking, you had to be ‘multi-learning’.
How have you coped with these challenges?
I realized that in order to adjust myself to accept this new norm, I need to stay strong mentally and physically in order to handle these changes in life.
Support from family and colleagues plays a major role in helping to cope well in this situation.
What helps you the most?
Instead of trapping myself at home because of the WFH situation, I motivated myself to go for regular exercises, at the same time having some ‘ME time’ without any distractions and this was an excellent way to discharge my negative energy from the day.
