Solidarity through the crisis

A crisis team secured the Busalla site in next to no time. One-way systems were established in the corridors and employees were allocated times for accessing the break rooms to ensure that as few employees as possible were gathering in one place. The body temperature of each employee was routinely measured as they entered the building.

The new safety protocol at Georg Fischer in Busalla came into force on 18 March, less than a month after the first coronavirus case in Italy. This enabled employees to return safely to their places of work. The GF protocol even preempted the Italian government’s own safety measures. “While the whole of Italy came to a standstill, we continued to work,” Alessandro proudly reports.

“During these difficult times, there has been a sense of solidarity in the workplace that has really impressed me,” he says. The nine laboratory employees who are managed by Alessandro all behaved in a commendable manner during these exceptional circumstances; no one was absent and together the team adhered to strict social distancing regulations in the laboratory and overcame any challenges.

Alessandro also put safety first when it came to his family. As he was the only one leaving the house every day, he did not hug his wife or his two daughters and slept on the couch for two-and-a-half months so as not to pose a risk to his family. His efforts were worthwhile as his entire family stayed healthy. Alessandro says that it was a “wonderful feeling” when the Italian government finally lifted the contact ban in May 2020 and he was able to hug his family again. “We grew even closer during the crisis because we were spending a lot of time together, and now we have learned to take even better care of one another.” Even though lockdown has been lifted, the family has remained close thanks to long conversations around the kitchen table, and they continue to be particularly careful when spending time with grandparents.

The coronavirus crisis has also had a lasting impact on relationships outside of the family, Alessandro says. He still avoids crowds and getting too close to strangers. At work, too, things have not simply gone back to normal. Even though body temperatures are no longer being checked, other measures are still in place. “In the lab, we no longer greet each other with a handshake and instead keep our distance.” But this does not mean that relationships have cooled. On the contrary, a new sense of solidarity has survived the crisis. Alessandro and his colleagues now know that they can rely on each other – that everyone will continue to work in the lab, even if there is a risk involved; that everyone will follow the rules to make sure that everyone stays safe. The knowledge that they overcame something big together has bonded them as a team. Come what may.

Alessandro, who has worked at GF for 20 years, also believes that the recent difficult months have brought him closer to his employer. Orders have been relatively low of late. Smaller companies, which are usually important customers, have suffered the most as a result of the crisis and are buying fewer products. But GF is diligently cushioning the unstable order situation by occasionally closing down on Fridays. “Things are continuing to run smoothly at work to this day because everyone is in the same boat and the crisis has taught us that we can rely on each other.”