Page 6 - Graypvine_June2020

Navigating

through COVID-19,

the Gray Way

6

Video conferencing, home workstations, masks, and staying
six feet apart…our work lives and interactions have changed so
much in just a few short months – or long months, depending
on how you look at it. The COVID-19 pandemic reached U.S.
soil in March and has impacted so many aspects of daily life, Top left: Gray West team member Abdul El Baba's family has figured out how to
but our team members and projects have adapted to keep continue work and school at home. Top right: Gray West team member Autumn
Romero (right) shows how they use a tape measure to keep a safe six feet away from
moving forward. each other on the Southwest Gas project in Victorville, California. Bottom right: South
In our offices, Gray team members had to abruptly move Atlantic office team members invited toilet paper to their video chat.
their computers home and learn how to communicate with
each other over video conferencing platforms. The day-to-day As many of his fellow team members can agree, transitioning
interactions have dramatically changed, but teams have found to working from home hasn’t been easy.
creative ways to continue productivity. Our jobsites have been “An initial challenge I experienced working from home during
lucky to continue operations, and those team members found the pandemic is drawing the line between work and home
themselves facing an interesting array of problems to conquer. life,” said Jamie. “It’s easy to get your mind mentally ready for
Site teams began wearing additional personal protective work and keep home life distractions out of mind when you are
equipment, set up handwashing stations, and implemented physically in a different place away from home. Since working
measures for social distancing. Every single person at Gray has from home, I’ve learned to set boundaries for myself to keep
been impacted by the COVID-19 virus, but we’re still doing what me focused.”
we do best, just in a new way. Assistant Design Manager George Donkor has been wearing
Assistant Design Manager Jamie Marshall says many hats while working from home. He’s the father of an
communication is crucial as she works with fellow team 11-month-old and a Kindergartner, and his wife also works
members during the pandemic. nights as a Registered Nurse. George has been juggling being
“The primary means of communication I’ve been using to a dad and a teacher while performing his work tasks, answering
reach my team members during this time is Microsoft Teams,” emails and participating in video meetings.
said Jamie. “The platform allows for video conferencing “It’s been a major challenge working from home (with daily
as well as messaging so I can easily share my screen to meetings), while babysitting and homeschooling at the same
discuss drawings and models or ask questions to keep time,” said George. “In my situation, there is a tendency to work
progressing forward.” extra hours on projects without the necessary childcare. We are
currently working out childcare for when we are to return back
to the office. Other than this hurdle, working from home has
Gray Insurance Coordinator been great!”
Matt Moore recently studied for George has enjoyed the flexibility that comes with working
a new certification while working from home. He says his team has learned to collaborate in spite
of not being together face-to-face.
remotely. He made the effort to “We’ve been able to leverage the tools and capabilities of
receive his Construction Risk Microsoft Teams to communicate and collaborate effectively
and Insurance Specialist (CRIS) as a project team,” said George. “Internal and owner meetings
certification all while working are primarily scheduled via Teams and it’s been flawless thus
from home. Nice work, Matt! far. Some of our consultants have also utilized Skype for other