We’ll emerge stronger together

“We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if mankind is to survive.” – Albert Einstein.

Embarking on something new sounds exciting to most of us. A new job, a new position at work, purchasing a new investment like a house, getting married… It requires weeks, maybe months, of planning and decision-making, talking to family members and friends, asking opinions, listening to many other perspectives before making a final decision and going for it. It’s because something new in our lives requires us to adapt to change and we like to be ready for change.

Enter into the equation something new in the world that has not been planned for ahead of time. Something that is thrust upon us in an instant with no time to plan and brings about the need for such tremendous change that we don’t ever feel ready for it. Something not as pleasant and exciting therefore it is more dreaded. But yet there it is, in the now and we have to adapt to the change fast – ready or not.

The momentum of the Coronavirus has grown like a massive sea swell – a tsunami – across the globe, and we didn’t see it coming. There was no time to plan and we had to make some swift changes to the way in which we live and work. Changes that are vital to our health and safety and that of others.

Our HSE Teams have been hard at work to lift the standards of our health and safety at work to enhance prevention of COVID-19. Going beyond our normal safety measures, policies and regulations, new rules have come into play to counter the spread of the virus and our teams have done well to drive these changes and remind our people of their safety coming first.

While our staff are adhering to new regulations, there is a lot that can’t be seen to the eye and in times like these, people require one another to maintain calm and sensibility when feeling stress and uncertainty.

These feelings can cause distraction, and this is when concentration lapses. Working in our type of industry, a lapse in concentration has serious consequences. It is important now more than ever to remain in the present and not to lose sight of SAFETY as we continue with our workday. It’s understandable that we will all have good days and bad days, and we need to distinguish these days so that we can work in the safest manner possible and return home to our families at the end of the day or shift.

When feeling like the moment is too challenging for you, reach out to someone – whether your colleague, friend, mom or dad, your children, mentor or boss. It’s important to connect and talk through your concerns and most of the time you’ll find out that you’re not alone and almost all the time you will come away from the connection feeling encouraged.

I encourage each and every one of you to keep communicating with one another – whether it’s in person two metres apart, or whether you WhatsApp call, Facetime, Zoom meet or Team talk, there is no shortage of options to reach out and connect with someone and share how you feel.

Our people are our greatest asset and your wellbeing is of the utmost importance to all of us at Berry Astrapak. Think new, think optimism, and let’s work through this together to emerge stronger than ever.

Stay strong and stay safe.

Craig Matthews
Managing Director