The WASDA Panel offered us an opportunity to discuss how our industry has been impacted by Covid-19, and what came through loud and clear was the resilience and commitment of waterworks professionals. Deemed an essential business at the start of the pandemic, members of the industry had to adapt and manage under difficult and sometimes dangerous circumstances.
The panel discussion focused on how businesses managed during these challenges, and also addressed the uncertainty of how things are changing. Traveling salesmen, which had been the mainstay of how business was transacted, have mostly been grounded due to restrictions. Meetings have been done virtually, via zoom or Microsoft Teams, and even the tech-avoidant among us have become skilled with video conferencing.
In the day-to-day, businesses relied on CDC guidelines, as well as state and local resources, to ensure adherence to best practices, and many employees pivoted to working remotely wherever possible. The employees that were required to be onsite—and there were many in this industry due to the ‘hands-on’ nature of what we provide—adjusted to new ways of working that involved upgraded cleaning procedures, socially distanced workplaces, staggered shifts to limit occupancy, and the wearing of masks and other PPE.
Some of the panelists forecast that these industry changes are permanent and structural, others believe they will be temporary, but all agreed that we will be in this “new abnormal” through mid-2021.