As I write this, we’ve been on lockdown for over 7 weeks… To start with, I continued to work in the office as long as I could, worked from home for a bit with a very reduced team, then went of furlough and now I’m waiting to hear if my job is going to be made redundant. I think it’s fair to say I’ve almost gone through the full spectrum of what can happen to your job during Covid-19.

This virus has not only had an impact on people’s health but also on their jobs. And you’ve been affected too, one way or another. Maybe you’re still working from your usual place of work trying to avoid people and getting paranoid every time someone sneezes, or maybe working from home with kids trying to get your attention every time you’re in a Zoom meeting, or on furlough keeping yourself sane by volunteering or baking an unhealthy amount of cakes, or you’re one of the less fortunate and are unemployed and desperate to find a job in a market that is very different to what it was a few months ago. 

Let’s be honest, regardless of how your job has been affected, it’s a pretty shitty time for everyone. Yes it is, but it’s also an opportunity. An opportunity to step back and take time to think about your job and whether it deserves you…

You need to really consider is who you’re working for. How have they treated you, the rest of their staff, their customers, the community, during this ‘unprecedented’ crisis?

Have they donated goodies to NHS workers but sacked half of their workforce? Have they helped their staff continue to deliver by being flexible and accommodating with their childcare situation? Have they held onto customers’ money and refused to help? Or have they stepped up by transforming their operation to help in this crisis? Has your manager not even bothered to send you a text to see how you were coping? Or have they been here to listen to your concerns?

Your company and manager’s behaviour will say a lot about their core values and what is important to them. Do you agree with how they dealt with the situation? Are you aligned with their ‘Covid-19 strategy’?

If you do, great! Stay put and enjoy working in a place you’re proud of. If you don’t, you have to get out quick! I know, now is not the best time to start a new job, but it’s the perfect time to get your CV up to date, sign up to job alerts and start figuring out what your next step will be. This is about you, and how you feel in this situation, not anyone else. 

This crisis is showing the real face of many companies and managers. Some truly stepped up while other have dropped the mask and shown they didn’t care about people. 

So sit back, get your thinking cap on, and ask yourself if you’re in the right place right now. 

I truly hope you are, but if not, now is your time to get ready to work for a company whose values are aligned to yours.