Why I am also a delivery girl.
Building ourselves above occupations: Let’s collaborate and innovate.
With South Africa having the leading number of confirmed cases of COVID19 in Africa it is understandable why corporations in the country have reacted with drastic measures despite reassured assistance from the government. Some corporations have put extensive precautions and safety policies in place for their employees and on the other end of the scale, some corporations have retrenched almost half of their staff.
Corporate decisions taken in light of the pandemic are not dependant on the why but dependant on how they are being implemented.
I am saddened by some friends, family and ex-colleagues who been retrenched and a very big part of me wishes I could provide work or an alternative source of income for them.
This has resulted in several ideas pondering my mind and I, for one, have taken a few and implemented them in my life. These ideas are based on a few discussions and readings I have been exposed to. So, I have taken the time to list these ideas and suggestions.
1. Mingle and grow outside your industry
What a time to be alive as a creative! I think a lot of the spotlight has been placed on our essential workers which are great, but in all actuality, a lot of our sanity has been preserved by creative content. From deejays hosting virtual festivals to everyone now consuming performance art through television, movies and online content, it is a truly exciting time to be alive because those who create are being watched. This marks a remarkable time to grow and know people beyond your profession. Citizens are consuming our way of work on a daily, it is an opportunity to build relationships across professions and industries. Everyone should be in the conversation.
2. Money moves vs impactful moves
With the increased likelihood of inter-industrial relationships being formed, great success, in the long run, is possible. No one person knows everything and what is beautiful is that the more we liken ourselves with people from different professions and industries, we expose ourselves to the knowledge that we would have never acquired in our “owned” spaces and environments. Building relationships with lawyers, teachers and supply chain specialist as a creative might seem irrelevant now but it is a key factor for success and innovation in the near future.
3. Break your barriers
At this point, a lot of people have a lot on the line and some with jobs lost. This week I took my first step at becoming a delivery girl. I never thought I would do it and it seems crazy that I am doing it because I haven’t lost my steady source of income and I am quite comfortable or rather privileged in comparison to others despite the current pandemic situation, but what do I have to lose besides sitting at home and doing nothing. The initial enquiry into the job was for extra cash during the lockdown (the fast-food delivery sector is booming thanks to regulations being in their favour) but after a day of doing deliveries, it felt good to come home and be exhausted. It felt good to feel useful.
4. Contribute a piece of yourself
My cousins and I, all have different business ventures going on. We all have been affected by the lockdown differently yet similarly. We sat through a meeting discussing our ideas, challenges, progress and executions and even though we did not make a cent from those 3 hours of just discussions, we all contributed a piece of ourselves and left with more than we had as individuals, to begin with.
Collaboration is more than just shared executions, it is shared knowledge
5. New Beginnings
The pandemic has given us all an opportunity to sit back and reflect on our current situations. The question is “What will you change to go on?”