How the Pandemic is Changing Life at GF: Three Colleagues Report

Interview with GF CEO: In his first video interview for Globe, Andreas Müller talks about the current situation at GF and his outlook for the future. He also reveals what he’s learned about himself in the last few months.

Archiv Eisenbibiliothek GF

Stronger Than Any Crisis

GF has overcome a number of crises in its more than 200-year history. Globe highlights four turbulent times: the founding of the company during a period of political instablity, the effects of the supply crisis at the end of the First World War, the bold action taken by the company during the Great Depression of the early 1930s, and the situation during and after the Second World War.

Shawn Koh

Managing the Unmanageable

The Management team at GF Machining Solutions in Beijing (China) reacted quickly when coronavirus began spreading through China in January. Within a few days, working hours and logistics processes were adapted to prevent health risks to employees. Production was shut down for a time. Step by step, the company is now returning to its former strength – with a constant focus on employee safety.

„The number of users exploded overnight“

The pandemic has caused working routines to go digital at an even faster pace – including at GF. Many employees who had the necessary technical equipment began working from home from one day to the next with hardly any prep time. Digital communication and collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams helped employees make the switch, and it’s already impossible to imagine our daily work without them. In this interview, Uwe Kühne, Chief Information Officer at GF, talks about how the company successfully reacted to the new requirements in record time, and where GF wants to become even better.

3x3

What have you experienced over the past few months, and what has changed for personally? The Globe editorial team asked GF employees and received many responses from around the world. Here you can read a selection of their very personal and moving answers. Thank you to all who contributed!

Feng (Niki) Zhang

Quality System Engineer at GF Casting Solutions, Suzhou (China)

1. How did the COVID-19 crisis change your daily work?
We had to wear a face mask in the office during our daily work.

2. What did you learn about yourself during the crisis?
I learned how to solve problems quickly without face-to-face contact.

3. What was your greatest personal challenge during the crisis?
Teaching my child at home, because children weren't allowed to attend school.

Pascal Friche

Head of Software Business Marketing at GF Machining Solutions, Biel/Bienne (Switzerland)

1. How did the COVID-19 crisis change your daily work?
Working 50% short time was a new experience for me. I had to ensure good time management in order to complete all current projects to deadline.

2. What did you learn about yourself during the crisis?
I learned the importance of respect and humility for colleagues and family. For the first time ever, everyone on the planet was experiencing the same situation. I learned how precious our life is.

3. What was your greatest personal challenge during the crisis?
My biggest challenge was a lack of personal contact. Even today, there are still restrictions and we have to care of each other. Let's keep hold of the respect that we learned in recent months.

Nucherla Mayurnath

Application Manager at GF Machining Solutions, Bengaluru (India)

1. How did the COVID-19 crisis change your daily work?
I was neither able to go out for my regular brisk walk nor to visit temples for prayers. It was also impossible to go shopping for my household needs.

2. What did you learn about yourself during the crisis?
I attended some technical webinars on software and tooling. This experience will be useful for my regular work. I also joined a global seminar on business. Now I understand what measures should be taken to take hold of the upcoming opportunities.

3. What was your greatest personal challenge during the crisis?
My biggest personal challenge was attending my father-in-law's funeral. My wife wanted to see her father one last time, so we drove 1’200 kilometers together. The journey was a bit risky and tiring, but it made my wife happy.

Richard Shum

Machine Sales Manager at GF Machining Solutions, Dongguan (China)

1. How did the COVID-19 crisis change your daily work?
As a Hong Kong citizen, I used to commute between Hong Kong and China almost daily. During the crisis, sometimes the border was closed. Thanks to our IT tools, we could very easily work borderless despite quarantine regulations on both sides.

2. What did you learn about yourself during the crisis?
I learned that we must be confident and work hard as well to stay healthy – physically and mentally. Thank you GF for supporting all employees worldwide.

3. What was your greatest personal challenge during the crisis?
Due to closed borders, I had to work without returning home for more than three months. I thank my family for their support and consideration.

Giovanni Manunta

Application Owner MS Dynamics 365 CE at GF Piping Systems, Agrate Brianza (Italy)

1. How did the COVID-19 crisis change your daily work?
At the end of February, my work routine changed because of the virus. I started working from home and I'm still doing that. My wife does, too. We did some maintenance in the house and we built a small new working space so we could have a comfortable working environment without disturbing each other.

2. What did you learn about yourself during the crisis?
I can be more patient that I expected. I completed three jigsaw puzzles (1'000–15'000 pieces) in 45 days.

3. What was your greatest personal challenge during the crisis?
Short-time working was a challenge, because of the workload. During the lockdown, my wife and I found out that we will be parents for the first time in September. This good news encouraged me to overcome any challenge!

Sonya Rotter

Contract Administrator at GF Piping Systems, Coteau-du-Lac (Canada)

1. How did the COVID-19 crisis change your daily work?
Working from home and being a fairly new employee, training remotely with fewer resources has given me more confidence.

2. What did you learn about yourself during the crisis?
I don’t need half the items I own.

3. What was your greatest personal challenge during the crisis?
Asking close friends and family if they are making smart choices and taking the necessary precautions, and not alienating them in the process. And to not scream out loud when I see so many people in public places NOT wearing masks.

Steve Wawryk

Regional Sales Manager at GF Piping Systems, Oakville (Canada)

1. How did the COVID-19 crisis change your daily work?
Sharing my home office with my wife and having a house full of people during work hours was a big adjustment. I didn’t realize how much I would miss the face-to-face interaction in a sales call.

2. What did you learn about yourself during the crisis?
I discovered that I can’t grow a very good beard, and what I can grow is not appreciated by my wife. I am however pretty good at cutting my own hair.

3. What was your greatest personal challenge during the crisis?
Dealing with all the uncertainty. I learned to develop empathy and came to realize that the pressure and stress I was feeling was also being felt by others. I learned to appreciate how fortunate I was to have my health and to be surrounded by the people I love.

Brian M. Kim

Managing Director at GF Piping Systems, Yongin-si (South Korea)

1. How did the COVID-19 crisis change your daily work?
At the beginning, there was a lot of panic. The situation overwhelmed all our daily lives at the same time. So the generosity disappeared.

2. What did you learn about yourself during the crisis?
Every person and all businesses should be preparing for the post-pandemic period, which will be a totally new and different era. Existing concepts and behaviors will not work anymore.

3. What was your greatest personal challenge during the crisis?
The biggest challenge is to keep a distance between employees and customers without losing close communication.

Merve Aksoy

Apprentice Debitor Management at GF Machining Solutions, Schorndorf (Germany)

1. How did the COVID-19 crisis change your daily work?
Our colleagues in Schorndorf were on short-time work, so we apprentices have taken on a range of new tasks, such as urgent express orders for customers. Thankfully we were given a lot of responsibility.

2. What did you learn about yourself during the crisis?
The crisis has taught us flexibility, both at work and in our private lives. On the other hand, working from home, Skype meetings and car parties have established themselves. In addition, solidarity has increased – for example, in the form of neighbourhood help for at-risk patients or elderly people .

3. What was your greatest personal challenge during the crisis?
The vocational schools had to close from one day to the next, and online lessons were provided instead. Our exams are already scheduled for November 2020. Even though school lessons have partly started again, the knowledge gap that has resulted is difficult for us to close.

Julia Runow

Program Manager Value Selling at Georg Fischer AG, Schaffhausen (Switzerland)

1. How did the COVID-19 crisis change your daily work?
The fact that I could not travel or go to the office and worked from home 100% of the time inspired my partner and I to finally adopt a little dog. My work routine has therefore changed a lot.

2. What did you learn about yourself during the crisis?
I learned that I miss my colleagues and the contact with people more than I expected. I also learned that camera-on video meetings can help, especially when you haven't seen each other in person for a while.

3. What was your greatest personal challenge during the crisis?
My grandfather died and I could not travel to his funeral because of the coronavirus. Rest in peace, Grandpa.

GF Piping Systems, Busalla (Italy)

Solidarity Through the Crisis

GF Casting Solutions, Suzhou (China)

Through the Crisis, She Sees Hope

GF Machining Solutions, Woodridge, IL (US)

Staying Strong in Crazy Times