Covid-19 from a safety delegate perspective

Most of you may not be aware of that we have a crisis team in DNV GL Norway. They are on 24/7 alert, handling a number of cases during the year, most of which the rest of us never will know anything about.

TEXT: ELLEN MARGRETHE PIHL KONSTAD

As our company doctor mentioned, we have a very professional team, which was a strength when the pandemic hit Norway. They actually had their first meeting almost 14 days prior to the first confirmed case of a person being infected with the virus in Norway.

I joined the team just after winter holidays, having been kept updated by the Country Chair on the situation prior to this.

The learning curve the first few weeks was steep. As HVO I was not prepared for what we had to deal with, but luckily, the crisis team in Norway trains on scenarios on a regular basis. Together with to the ones who had to be in the office in order to perform their job, such as ERS for Maritime, the laboratories for Oil & Gas or those responsible for the servers for IT to keep everything running smoothly.

internal and external expertise we were able to make plans, revise plans and make new plans. The recommendations from the government kept changing until the shut down on March the 12th.

Thanks to our very adaptable colleagues, and our digital platform, DNV GL went from being an office-based workplace to a work-from-home situation in 1 day during the close down of Norway.

Leaving the office on the 11th was a strange experience. You noticed colleagues carrying laptops, screens and keyboards on their way home. Everyone with a small smile, and hope that things would soon be back to normal. Well 10 weeks later and we know that that did not come true.

Out of 2050 employees, 95% suddenly had some kind of home office. Working from the office was only allowed after prior acceptance from the Covid-19 team. Priority to the premises was given employees directly; temporary lay-offs and a 10% salary and time cut.

You noticed colleagues carrying laptops, screens and keyboards on their way home. Everyone with a small smile, and hope that things would soon be back to normal.

Over the next couple of weeks, we realised that this was not just a health crisis. The shut down of more or less the whole of Europe also had a massive impact on our finances. Different cost-cutting measures had to be implemented, such as travel and overtime restrictions and encouragement to take vacation in slow periods. Unfortunately, this was not enough, and DNV GL decided to implement 2 more measures effecting the

The implementation of these measures, resulted in the need for information in the organisation; • how to contact NAV? • how to fill in time sheets? • am I affected? • I have full schedules as it is – how am I supposed to manage my workload with reduced time?

The questions where many, both to the Covid-19 mailbox, and to the safety delegates. After the first round at GSS, a FAQ was developed answering many of these questions.

I strongly believe that being able to address and discuss issues immediately helps reduce the stress and conflicts. The good cooperation I have had with both our unions and the management team has been a big strength during this time. Communication is especially challenging when it is done either in writing or by Teams. Body language is difficult to read through the screen.

In addition to the work done as part of the Covid-19 team, I have been conduction ordinary HVO tasks such as chairing AMU and VO meetings, facilitate the appointment of new VOs and a re-organisation that was implemented in April.

It has been challenging being a VO during times with home office. At work, you interact with your colleagues informally on a daily basis. This is much harder from a home office. For smaller areas, a VO have a closer relation to all the colleagues, but for a VO for a 100+ persons this becomes difficult.

WHAT I WILL TAKE WITH ME:

I am amazed on how we all contributed to keep the company up and running in a very difficult time. Colleagues have been looking caring for each other, managers have been paying special attention to staff with little or no network outside work. Regular meetings have been moved to Teams - including the social ones, being lunches, coffee breaks, wine lottery or quiz nights. This time has also shown us how important our colleagues are. We can do our job from the living room, but we miss being at the office seeing our colleagues.

Now returning to a new normal, I hope we can take this extra consideration back into the office; Bringing with us the best from the last weeks.

(Some people have even claimed that we as an organisation has moved more digitally the last 10 weeks then the last 5 years since everybody now have to work digitally.)