Change is one of the few certainties in business

CAROLINE McEnery describes the past 12-months as ‘a roller coaster of a year’ for everybody. The Employment Law expert and Managing Director of The HR Suite said that many women stepped up to the plate this year by juggling home schooling with work and life. Particularly for those women who are running and managing businesses, they have had the added turbulence of uncertainty that Covid has brought, namely, the stress of running a business and, in some cases, having to lay off staff. Caroline said this year has exacted a high price emotionally, mentally, and physically.

“As spring dawns, things are starting to improve positively. I think we can all see that even though things haven’t opened up fully, we do see light at the end of the tunnel with the vaccination programme being rolled out,” she said.

In the face of adversity, people often find out aspects of their character they otherwise might not have known existed. Covid has forced us all to extend our capabilities even further. Once the dust of Covid has settled, Caroline believes this is a positive to take from it.

“People’s technology skills, multi-tasking, people’s ability to manage their time and diversify and pivot their business has been amazing. People and businesses are trying to fit their business around the work/life balance more. People have embraced this. Working from home is one of the really positive things to come from this pandemic. Even when things go back, it is likely that working from home is going to be a more blended approach so people can have a work/ life balance.”

Caroline said that an occasion like International Women’s Day creates an opportunity to recognise the work and to build on the many positives that come from women in the workplace.

“There is a huge number of female entrepreneurs that are leading the way in so many amazing businesses. They have still shown that resilience and ability to keep going in such challenging times,” Caroline said.

“The other really positive thing is women are great supporters of other women, that ability to leave down the ladder and help others along the way is important. We’ve seen huge positive synergies with businesspeople helping businesspeople and collaborating with each other. It is really positive to see this.”

“I think we’re going to look back after this and say ‘ let’s take the good bits – working from home and prioritising ourselves and our mental health and each other. We should learn that change is one of the sure things that is constant now in all businesses, and to make sure we’re staying ahead of that.”

SPRING STATIONS

Due to Covid-19 restrictions no house stations will be held this Spring. Instead, a single Station Mass for the whole Parish of Castlemagner (all village and country areas), will be celebrated (without a congregation) in Kanturk Church at 7.30pm on Wednesday 10th March. The Mass will be livestreamed on www.churchservices.tv/kanturk and broadcast on parish radio: tune your radio to 107.2fm.