The Value of Living and Working in a Virtual World

To say it’s been an extraordinary year would be the understatement of my life.

The world changed last March. We all changed with it.

A year later, I’m finding myself a different husband, father, and professional. And I like it.

Most pre-pandemic mornings I was out the door while the rest of my family was just waking up. Who doesn’t like being able to give their kids a hug before they head to school every day? I know I love it, and I’m cherishing every chance I get. 

I’ve also been able to focus on my physical fitness more so now than almost any other time in my life since I played a little college basketball. Five days a week you’ll find me in my home gym, done by 6:30 AM and ready for the day by 7 AM. I’m sure I’m not the only one who can testify that fitness has been key to staying focused, sane, and productive!

Not even the most powerful crystal ball could have predicted how our way of working would transform and how important staying in touch with the team would become.  When we first started working from home offices all over the country, I made a point of taking time to connect with three team members every day. These calls weren’t always business related. The GM Fleet team is an amazing team, and I wanted to know what was on their minds, what questions they had, and how I could help. I got to see their pets and families, and they got to watch me holler at my son to stop hogging the internet bandwidth with video games. We have team members furthering their education, picking up new languages and skills, and embracing new hobbies. This period gave me the chance to be inspired by my team in ways I normally wouldn’t have discovered.

 I don’t remember a time when there has been so much HUMANITY in the workplace, and I love it. We’ve created a high-performing culture despite the challenges and uncertainty at first. Being challenged in such an unprecedented way has given our team the latitude to INNOVATE. I never thought I’d be the kind of person who enjoyed working from home, but I can confidently say we can accomplish even more in this environment.

I’m proud of the work we’re doing to prioritize inclusion, too. In December, we launched focus groups as a chance for us to come together over a virtual cup of coffee to talk openly and candidly. We’re making it a priority to continue to create a safe space for people to be their true selves, and I’ve been humbled by our team’s willingness to volunteer their honest thoughts and feelings. We’re doing great work here, and it’s exciting.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Virtual Solutions Summit! What a proud moment for our team and customers, pivoting from an in-person event to an all-virtual experience. We offered over 90 videos from our amazing team of fleet experts on a vast range of topics, as well as a virtual Product and Service Expo, including 30 suppliers. As more and more events are offered online, I feel confident that our Virtual Solutions Summit can be a case study to teach the industry how to do it well. I’ve also enjoyed virtually connecting with customers by speaking at recent virtual events like NTEA and Work Truck Week 2021!

This year has taught me so many important lessons:

• The value of personal connection and communication
• The importance of transparency with our employees and customers 
• The need to focus on what you can control instead of what you can’t

Do I miss seeing my team in person, bumping into people and having “water cooler” moments? Of course. Do I miss looking my customers in the eye and shaking their hands? Absolutely. But I’m also excited to see how business relationships will continue to evolve, especially knowing that our team has nurtured such strong bonds both inside our company and with our customers. I’m happy to say that this Fleet team is more resilient than ever, operating at the highest level I have ever witnessed in my personal history with General Motors.

Please continue to stay calm, stay strong, stay safe, and stay healthy!