How Coalfire is Supporting Local Restaurants During the Covid-19 Pandemic.

In the very early days of the COVID-19 pandemic Coalfire  began discussing the logistics and benefits of working remotely. With some company leadership and a few offices located in what had been the initial hot-spot for the U.S. outbreak, Seattle and Bellevue, WA, there was an early decision made to close those offices and have that group of employees work from home. It didn't take long, I think less than a week, before the entire company followed suit. Every Coalfire office from the Pacific Northwest to the east coast and on to the U.K. quickly made the adjustment and joined our existing remote workforce in the work-at-home life.

As a tech company focused on providing best-in-class cybersecurity services to both commercial and Federal clients across the world, our staff is made up of individuals who are no strangers to being empowered by technology and modern era applications centered on connecting a dispersed workforce. We made the shift to working remotely with little struggle.

One of the things that has made it much easier to stay connected are the now weekly (previously monthly) CEO all-hands conversations hosted by our fearless leader Tom McAndrew. Each week we get updates on the company highlighting the wins that continue like business as usual and regularly drill down into individual achievements and contributions by several team members. At the end of each virtual all-hands meeting we provide an opportunity to ask questions, which Tom addresses. He also has begun asking survey questions live as the meeting unfolds. It is in this section of the meeting where he began to address the question, "How could we, as a company of individuals work together to make a difference during these times?" Coalfire is no stranger to providing opportunities for employees to engage in all manner of charitable work, but now it seemed like the whole country, and world for that matter, could use a little hand. The results of a recent company survey revealed a majority of employees felt strongly about supporting local restaurants and their work forces.

Within a few days of that survey Coalfire had put in place a program granting every employee the opportunity to help spread a sizable sum of money throughout each of our local communities in support of our favorite local restaurants. Coalfire has nearly 800 employees spread across the country as well as in the UK, and while the phrase "think globally, act locally" is not new, it seems to me there is no better time than now to apply that mantra with a little more effort, and a little more gratitude. I'm grateful to work for a company that consistently supports our local communities in a variety of ways, through all seasons, and takes the lead in creating opportunities for all employees to feel a part of that.

With your employer’s support, or on your own, you can find some great ideas on how to play an active role in supporting your local communities both now and in whatever the "new normal" may be in this helpful, quick read that Forbes Magazine published recently. Coincidentally, the first three of the 15 ideas they share have to do with supporting local restaurants.