Quarantine Musings

I am loving all of the stories of generosity and selflessness during this unprecedented time – companies shifting gears to manufacture PPE, individuals donating large sums of money to help employees maintain income, organizations choosing to delay/reduce/refund payments to allow people to keep more money in their pockets, etc.  At the end of the day, most people are reasonable, rational, and will do the right thing.  Feels like a giant hug for the soul. 

But I’ve about had it with the negativity.  The pointing of fingers and placing blame.  People doing all they can to look like victims.  The assuming.  Assumptions really do make one look like an ass. 

Let’s start here – no one planned this.  Can we all agree on this one?  Do you truly understand that?  And even in our wildest dreams or most aggressive emergency response planning – we could not have predicted this.  No system or program was prepared to handle this.  Most businesses in this country were completely unprepared.  Yes, we were bamboozled by the coronavirus. 

In that same spirit – the manner in which various entities have responded to the pandemic have also been trial and error.  Most everyone in the country today had never been through something like this before.  So, it’s reasonable to say that no one knew how to respond.  Now, as with any emergency or tragedy, people respond differently.  I personally believe that all reactions are rooted in anxiety and fear.  Some are calm, cool, and collected.  Others are nervous, retreat internally, or become explosive.  There are the disbelievers, the skeptics, the conspiracy theorists.  Still others are prone to immediately thinking of others, reaching out and trying to help people.  Everyone is different but we’re all human.  And what we need is grace.

This is where HR can truly lead the charge during challenging times.  We have to help our employees/managers/owners see past those negative responses and get to the true problem or concern.  Yes, someone may be acting out simply because they are afraid.  This isn’t that different from any other situation in HR – it’s never black and white, there is always something else going on.  We can teach grace, forgiveness, and kindness in our workplaces.  It’s needed now more than ever. 

I do hate assumptions; however, I do like to assume that people are generally trying their best.  Again, no one planned on this crisis.  I truly believe our government officials, healthcare personnel, business leaders, and law enforcement are doing the best they can given the circumstances.  If more people could start with this positive assumption, instead of immediately going to the negative…wow, imagine what we could achieve!  I can’t think of a better way to begin to address the mental health issues in our country. 

I saw a truly amazing act of grace last week.  We in Ohio have had the great fortune of having amazing leadership during this time.  Dr. Amy Acton, Director of the Ohio Department of Health, acknowledged a group of protesters outside the statehouse during the Governor’s daily press briefing.  While the people are chanting to call for her removal, she expresses sympathy for their fear and frustrations, and continues to work tirelessly to create a plan for the state going forward.  Not many would have reacted as such.  She is a true example of a selfless leader. 

I also feel for those affected by this pandemic.  Losing a job is never fun and certainly ignites fear and panic.  But come on – no one is ‘doing’ this to you.  Thinking the government planned this just isn’t rational.  You also have options – you may not like the choices, but they are there nonetheless.  There are 40K+ jobs currently available in Ohio alone.  May not be exactly what someone was doing before but it’s a job with income.  Most landlords/lenders/utility companies are pushing back due dates for payments.  You just have to pick up the phone and have the conversations to get things done. 

I put out a call on Facebook and LinkedIn to those who have lost jobs and I stand by it 100%.  I will help anyone find a job.  I will make those phone calls.  And I have a strong network of HR professionals who will do the same.  We are in this together. 

My heart also goes out to our government officials, our leaders, our business owners.  For many, you can see the anguish in their faces when they’re addressing the media.  I have spent countless hours on the phone with business owners over the past month who are agonizing over what to do in this crisis.  Making the decision to shut down a state or a business is not easy, and it’s not taken lightly.  There are many factors to consider and everything is a risk.  I get emails from my clients in the middle of the night; I know they’re not sleeping well.  The stress is immense.  So can we just give everyone a break?

Finally, I would like to state that I find the position of the health insurance carriers during the pandemic to be disgraceful.  They had a real opportunity here to step up and be heroes…but they chose not to.  Instead of being proactive on grace periods for premiums, the state governors had to request/demand the relief for those paying for insurance.  And in many cases, the employer still has to jump through hoops to request the grace period.  What about those who are laid off or furloughed?  Well, you can keep your coverage, but the employer has to cover the cost.  Or ditch the plan and offer everyone COBRA.  Seriously?  This is the best we can do in the richest country in the world?  During a time of crisis?  It’s ridiculous and time for real change for healthcare in this country. 

It’s not political, it’s American.  Country before party.

God Bless You!  Stay safe and healthy!!