The previous 12 months have provided many challenges for everybody around the world, yet the effects of the disruption caused by Covid-19 have resulted in many significant, positive changes and adaptations to our way of life, many of which were not anticipated.
The rapid acceleration towards a digital era has enabled more people to work at home, with much of that work conducted by video conferencing apps such as Zoom, Skype, Facetime etc. This is not to say that the acceleration was welcomed, given the circumstances, however it does provide an insight into our ability to adapt and evolve our lifestyles under immense pressure. This is the key point.
What we have seen is a willingness to co-operate on a global scale, both in terms of “stay at home” measures to protect many of the most vulnerable in our society, whilst also working together to protect our way of life and ensuring trade continues to the best of its ability.
Where some industries have succeeded, it also important to recognise that many industries have not had it so easy, and we must work to stimulate these industries as a way of boosting the wider economy. Take hospitality, as an example. There are numerous hotels, restaurants, leisure outlets and more that have faced months of uncertainty, missed income and expansion opportunities, so how can we assist? The obvious way to assist would be to go and spend more time and money in their outlets, however from a commercial perspective, what else can be done?
Trade relies on the free movement of capital and goods, both crucial elements in supporting the success of businesses large and small across the country. Having an open approach with your clients, being willing to negotiate and understand the difficulties faced is the fastest way forward in these times. Many businesses rely on invoices being paid in good time to ensure that there is no knock-on effect to their wider operations both in terms of funding existing opportunities and overheads, as well as protecting staff and even employing more. This is something that should be considered across all industries, and a genuine attempt must be made in these times to protect everyone’s interests and engage in a less inward-looking mindset.
Qatar – Post 2022
Who can believe it? We’re barely at the end of the brilliantly put together Euro 2020 football championship which has been hosted and spread across many European nations and now, all of a sudden, we are reminded that the World Cup in Qatar is only 18 months away. 18 months? Where has that time gone?
Within no time at all. Qatar will be hosting the greatest footballing nations on earth, with a multitude of some of the greatest players ever to have graced the game, with Messi, Neymar and Ronaldo to name a few. Many have been surprised by the scale of Qatar’s ambition, but what has never been in doubt is Qatar’s genuine ambition to put on the greatest show on earth. The project hasn’t been a small one, with billions of dollars spent on state-of-the-art stadia, metro networks, hundreds of hotels and much, much more. The scale of the opportunity in such a short time is unrivalled yet often misconstrued as being a one-off project with all of these mega projects being erected for the sole purpose of making Qatar ready for the FIFA World Cup. Look beyond this and you’ll see a truer picture of the what the country is trying to achieve, in the present and the future. This Middle Eastern Emirate is on a fast-track towards a more sustainable future, one that is not so reliant on Oil & Gas and they have recognised the need to invest early in their future. Well known for its Oil & Gas reserves, the emphasis has rapidly been on moving away from the reliance of such a prosperous industry and moving towards models that drive private ownership, entrepreneurialism, and new business models.
So what’s this go to do with the World Cup? The truth is that the scale of the infrastructure is about creating a new tomorrow. Qatar will not cease to move forward upon the completion of the FIFA World Cup 2022, it is merely a starting block for what is yet to come. Tourism to countries in the Middle East is increasing year by year, as are populations which require a long-term outlook and great investment in any industry that supports the eco-system. Be it schools, hospitals, sports facilities, transport infrastructure, leisure & tourism and much more, Qatar has set its next starting block at 2030 whereby they will further enhance the country and its growth. In real terms this means a continuation of the great development projects that we are witnessing from North to South, East to West. More projects and more employment are a natural side effect of this and it is up to us all to keep pushing, keep moving and work hard for the day after tomorrow.
Covid for Swansea Surveys.
Challenges abound, we are frequently asked how we are “coping” with the ups and downs of the Covid environment in which many have seen their prosperity shrink in a manner that few could have predicted. The truth is that this question is often asked with a frown pre-installed on the face of the person asking the question. The question is asked in a general “How’s it going?” kind of way but it is posed with sincerity and a readiness for a sympathetic follow up response. This has been one of the strangest occurrences of recent times, like asking somebody how they’re getting on when at a funeral.
Fortunately for us we have seen a great rise in our importance in the market, both locally and internationally. Why is this? We’ve been around for many years, putting in the hard work building our brand and building our reputation and clients and contractors were naturally drawn to our services once the restrictions kicked in. Our business is about providing high quality surveyors and survey manpower to construction projects in multiple jurisdictions and, with companies unable to employ and bring in new labour from different countries because of travel of travel restrictions, we were able to quickly jump in and help on short term and long-term assignments. No, we didn’t proudly walk around with Superman T-shirts, ready jump out of a phone box with our survey apparatus to hand, but we did delight in the fact that we are able to provide assistance to such an important part of the construction phase at such a challenging time.
Among the greatest aspects of this all has been the deeper, stronger partnerships which have evolved out of everybody working that extra bit harder for one another, almost as if we all employed by the same company. Our clients and contractors’ success is of paramount importance to us so, to deliver key services and strengthen such ties in times like these was extremely satisfying. We cannot do this without the great, never ending support from our world class colleagues who all share the collective goal to focus on the client’s needs and provide the best possible service. As such, we want to thank all of our clients, contractors, colleagues and employees for the tremendous work that has been achieved in the last 18 months.
Management
Who’s ready for a Linkedin style humblebrag? If you’re unfamiliar with the term, or even unfamiliar with Linkedin, then the best way to describe it is when somebody writes a feel-good story about a successful, often charitable outcome that was achieved whilst quietly pushing the accolades towards the protagonist, more often than not the protagonist is the person writing the post. Another example would be YouTubers posting videos of themselves feeding the homeless for likes, clicks, and follows. This in turn increases their Man of the people credentials, which indirectly boosts their income. It’s all quite nauseous to be frank, and everybody sees right through it. Ok, this post isn’t about how successful I/we are all the time but an acknowledgement of what we can do to get the best outcomes for our staff, and the lessons learned along the way.
We’re all in a position of power to aid progress and development of those with whom we work and it’s important to never forget that everybody has their own personal mission. Everybody wants loyalty from their colleagues, but many forget that loyalty needs to be earned, and cannot just be earned by providing a paycheck. It is very much a two-way transaction that is often interpreted as “well, you should be lucky to have a paycheck”. Wrong!
Developing staff is very much like growing plants. You can’t just give it water once a day and expect it to bear fruit. It needs the right soil, access to sunlight, fertilizer and, above all else, minimal bugs. You take away any of these elements and the success of the plant diminishes, so don’t get angry when the fruits don’t grow. Staff are the same, give them their opportunity, make sure the conditions are right, and you can rest assured that the results for your business will be much greater. Sure, the analogy is melodramatic and a bit cheesy, but it is a very easy concept to understand. Again, this is a two-way transaction, and you’ll want a return for your efforts, so improve the soil and the plant will actively want to bear fruit. After all, that’s nature!
