Industry Insights | 2 min read

Living and working in the time of Covid-19

By Khanyi Nzukuma, Chief Executive of Glacier by Sanlam

To say that the world is in a state of crisis would be a huge understatement.  Right now, survival is what it’s all about.

Jack Ma, one of the co-founders of Alibaba Group, said that for people in business, 2020 is just a year of staying alive.  “Don’t even talk about your dreams or plans.  Just make sure you stay alive.  If you can stay alive, you would have made a profit already.”

Some are more fortunate than others

Many of us who are fortunate to be able to continue working throughout lockdown are working harder and longer hours than ever before.  At the same time many small businesses watch helplessly as they are unable to trade or to pay staff.  My own personal wish is for the economy to open up – where it is safe to do so – so that more people can resume working and trading.  Otherwise we face a humanitarian crisis even bigger than the current health crisis.  It cannot come down to a trade-off between the health of the nation and the health of the economy – the two go hand-in-hand.

Only time will tell whether our stringent approach was the correct one – and we still have to face the winter months.  What we did get right, was to react and take action swiftly – which we’ve been applauded for.

A time for introspection...

For those who have healthy businesses and sufficient resources to keep going – the current ‘surreal time’ presents an opportunity to recalibrate, to think, and to keep what works and throw away what doesn’t, both professionally and personally.  Difficult times present an opportunity to grow personally and to innovate and improve on the business front.  Many innovations happen when one is forced to find an alternative way of doing things.

If you are one of the fortunate ones during this difficult time, take care of yourself and those around you.  Give where you can;  phone an elderly relative to find out how they are;  or even mentor someone who may be going through a tough time professionally.

This too shall pass

There are many ways to dissect and analyse the current situation, but ultimately I’ve found it’s about getting back to basics.  The emphasis over the past few weeks has been on taking care of my family, only shopping for basics, and ensuring the health of our staff and that the company I lead continues to meet clients’ needs.  This narrowed focus has highlighted what really matters – and what doesn’t, and that we often tend to spend both time and money on the things that don’t really matter. 

Many things we took for granted may not go back to the way they were, and maybe that’s a good thing.  Let’s try and retain the good and leave the bad.

Glacier Financial Solutions (Pty) Ltd and Sanlam Life Insurance Ltd are licensed financial services providers.

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