The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world on its head and required quick actions. At C-Job Naval Architects this was no different. Within days employees across all offices worldwide had to switch to working from home. Going off without a hitch, this will inspire a new way of working at the ship design company. C-Job CEO Basjan Faber updates the Newsflash on how the company adapted and what lays ahead.
New way of working
Basjan Faber, CEO at C-Job Naval Architects starts, “Before the crisis hit, we were already exploring the options of having everyone set-up with a home office. Yet, when the call came [in the Netherlands] we had days, if not hours, to set it in motion. It shows the strength and flexibility that C-Job and our colleagues possess as a whole that we could make that transition nearly seamlessly.”
Thanks to technology such as Microsoft Teams and tools such as Lynx, working closely together with clients on their project could continue from the new set-up. Additionally, C-Jobbers started their own forms of communications in additional to the necessary work-related messages. One of the new traditions is a virtual pub quiz organized on Friday afternoons. Basjan says “It’s just one of the things that solidifies C-Job is a family and not merely a bunch of people who happen to work together.”
This new way of working is likely to inspire lasting changes at C-Job though it is too early to tell exactly what this will look like in the future. He continues “Obviously, it’s difficult to predict what the future will hold at this point in time. We may be looking at a combination of working from home as well as at the office. While working from home has been a massive success, C-Jobbers have expressed that they miss the office; working together in the same space or office building as well as socializing more with those outside of their direct circle of contact.”
Events & exhibitions
Another area that has been affected is a number of events the company attends throughout the year. In 2019, C-Job participated in more than 25 events. This year those same numbers won’t be achievable, and neither should they.
In terms of physical attendance, C-Job is currently committed to Offshore Energy in Amsterdam and the International Work Boat Show in New Orleans with dedicated booth space as well as attending the Shippax Ferry Conference. “Due to the number of activities taking place this fall, it’s simply not possible to attend them all. With the remaining events, we’re keeping a close eye on local guidelines and are in touch with organizers to ensure it’s safe for C-Job to attend and any risks are kept to a minimum.” says Basjan.
He continues: “While the industry has been hit hard, it’s exciting to see organizers coming up with creative ways of getting the industry together.” A great example is upcoming US Offshore Wind Virtual Conference organized by Reuters Events which C-Job will attend digitally.
