What's Essential Right Now?

In the first weeks of the COVID-19 crisis, governments and companies worked hard to figure out what industries and jobs were essential. In order to save lives and protect communities, only “essential workers” reported to workplaces. Doctors, nurses, veterinarians, as well as, medicine, vaccine and diagnostic researchers and manufacturers, have proudly taken on the coronavirus. Others deemed essential were not so sure that’s what they signed up for as grocery store cashiers, janitors and delivery people who became overnight heroes. And for people in roles that were deemed “not essential,” such as waiters, cafeteria workers, or consultants, it’s been a difficult reality.

This got me thinking a lot about what is essential for me and my family, my colleagues and for my company. As we move from shelter in place into a new normal, what will become essential and why? In my family, I certainly believe that our teachers are more essential than we ever appreciated as I have tried to help with geometry homework. I also definitely have a new appreciation for barbers after trying to cut my husband’s hair this past week. One of the silver linings I hope we all learn from this current situation is how important so many roles are in our societies that we often took for granted.

For me, the first step in determining what is essential begins with slowing down and spending a lot of time listening to the challenges people are facing personally and professionally so we can understand how that influences what they need. For some who have written to me or called me in the last week that ranges from sick family members, spouses who have lost their jobs, overwhelming childcare or eldercare responsibilities, or crashing demand for certain products and services and how this is affecting our customers and communities.

This listening is core to our Zoetis return to the workplace planning across our locations in 45 countries. We kicked off the work with a survey to give colleagues the opportunity to grade our work in managing the pandemic so far, and to understand what’s important to them as we begin a phased return to the workplace over the coming weeks and months. Our principles for moving forward are to ensure that all colleagues can be safe, feel safe and feel supported – and that the customers they interact with feel the same. We’re listening to what colleagues need and having local teams on the ground develop transition plans based on the situation in their country or state.

I also think the word essential requires us to focus. It means making choices about the most important things we can do based on what will have the greatest impact on the overall wellness of those we care about. For some right now essential means having access to unemployment after they lost their jobs to the pandemic. For others it may mean access to sick leave to stay home and recover when they are ill. And for others it might mean 10 minutes of quiet time to meditate or get away as they are overwhelmed with a crowded apartment full of people.

At Zoetis, it means having the plans to ensure that our colleagues, customers and communities are safe, while we continue supporting a reliable food supply and the health of pets, our very important companions during this pandemic. It also means future planning, adjusting our business to changing customer needs and expectations.

My last reflection on essential is a more personal one. It is the realization of how essential personal connection is to me. Like all of you, I miss seeing my extended family and friends – and my colleagues at Zoetis. Oddly, being physically apart is how we can manage through this together. But physically apart does not mean we do not find new ways for personal connection.  

There are so many amazing examples of how our Zoetis colleagues have provided important personal connections to each other and their communities from virtual team socials to using our expertise and resources to support local hospitals and countrywide medical needs (see the cool picture above of a group of Zoetis colleagues in Olot, Spain, who, wearing full PPE, prepared and delivered a biosafety cabinet for COVID-19 testing at a local hospital). Even just a simple text, email or call that says I am thinking about you can make all the difference in my day.  

Right now, we all need to focus on the essential for ourselves, at home and at work. Through listening, focusing and personal connections I think we can each become more essential to those we care about and emerge from this stronger together.

This message is adapted from a message I shared with Zoetis colleagues.