Updating Our Response to the COVID-19 Crisis

06Jun

tim-mossholder-C8jNJslQM3A-unsplash-scaled-e1617563131321 | Green Key Resources

The last several weeks have been a trying time for our nation. With so many businesses closed and all of us sheltering at home, it’s natural to be concerned about the future.

As part of our Green Key Resources community, I want you to know, as we go about filling the needs of our clients and working to ensure the health and safety of our employees, we are also looking forward to the time when the crisis is over.

When that time comes, and hopefully it will soon, we will be ready to meet the need to get everyone back to work and transition back to business as usual.

In the meantime, our entire team continues to work remotely, with full, secure access to all our systems. Though our physical offices remain closed nationwide, we’re still answering the phones, filling positions and staffing jobs.

We shared our initial steps with you two weeks ago, when the Centers for Disease Control and Preparedness declared the coronavirus a pandemic and advised all those who could to stay home:

We immediately transitioned all of our personnel to work from home.
To protect employees working in temporary positions, we contacted our clients to assist them in making remote work arrangements wherever possible.
We encouraged all interviews to be conducted remotely and communicated with candidates and clients about safe procedures in cases where that was not possible.

Our efforts to limit exposure and avoid in-person contact are also continuing. Recruiters are conducting interviews exclusively by video conferencing or phone. Our team is reaching out to clients, temporary employees and candidates on a daily basis to check on your well-being and offer help with remote work and staffing needs.

And because working remotely and managing remote teams is new to so many and takes a different approach, we’ve supplemented our blog with articles on the topic. We hope this offers you valuable information as you transition to this new normal.

We have also heard from many of you, particularly from those in healthcare where the need for workers is especially critical. As Brett Braterman of our healthcare division noted last week, “We are seeing a huge uptick in requests from our hospitals for staff to work in all different departments.” Our specialists are tireless in their efforts to fill the need, contacting retired professionals as well as those in less hard-hit areas

Our pharmaceutical/life sciences team is diligently working with pharmaceutical and biostat companies to ensure we continue to deliver top talent as the development and testing for drugs has become more crucial than ever. Our IT, Accounting, Finance and Office Support teams continue to support clients with their hard to fill roles and continue to be a trusted advisor on their hiring needs.

If there is any way Green Key Resources can help you, know that we want to and we’re here for you. Our main number is 212.683.1988.

This is a difficult time for our country, for our businesses, and especially for our families and loved ones, but we are all pulling together.

As we approach the holidays with Passover, Easter and Ramadan around the corner, I want to extend my personal thoughts for your health and well-being. Together we will get through these challenging times.

Andrew Chayut / Managing Partner

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

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Professional Support, Worklife

Jun 6, 2023

Flexibility, Communication Are the Keys to Becoming a Top Admin

Professional Support, Worklife

Jun 6, 2023

Flexibility, Communication Are the Keys to Becoming a Top Admin

The warning about serving two masters is an apt caution for administrative professionals who, as companies reopen offices, may find themselves suddenly having two bosses.

Where once an executive assistant might stay with a single executive, the trend now is for all but the most senior leaders to share the services of a single admin. As a recent article from the American Society of Administrative Professionals (ASAP) says, “managing the expectations of diverse personalities might prove frustrating at times.”

When that frustration results in missed deadlines or hurried work, it only makes the situation worse. Before you get caught in the middle of conflicting demands, the article says it’s up to you to work out the ground rules each time you’re assigned a new executive .

“Setting clear boundaries from the very beginning helps prevent future conflicts,” advises the ASAP. “Make sure they’re [the new addition] aware of the full scope of your role.”

Most executives will work with you, but, says the article, there will be times when a request comes in that you can’t handle either because someone else is responsible or you’re just jammed and won’t get to it in the time they want. That’s when you may need to diplomatically explain the situation, explaining when you will be able to deliver.

“Understand each executive’s priorities, so you can manage tasks related to them as urgently as possible whenever they recur,” the article suggests.

This is when having good communications with each executive you support is especially critical. Those boundaries you set should be translated into uniform procedures, sort of an operational plan that each person you support understands. “If everyone is on the same page, you’ll avoid inefficiencies associated with conflicting requests.”

It’s natural to gravitate toward the individuals with whom you work best. Playing favorites at the expense of another is the surest way to create a difficult work environment. So don’t, advises the ASAP. Be flexible.

“You need to give each executive equal treatment when performing assigned tasks. Even as you encourage uniform procedures, you must remember that each manager has a unique personality and needs. You might have to slightly tweak the approach you use to suit their preferred work style.”

Sometimes, despite all your best efforts, there will be conflicts. When you get conflicting directives, says the ASAP, “The best solution is to inform them of the incompatibility and let them solve it among themselves… The executives will ultimately appreciate your neutral stance as you demonstrate that you sit above petty office politics.”

Supporting multiple people can be a challenge. But it also can help you grow as a professional, giving you the opportunity to take on different projects and demonstrate your ability to handle anything.

Photo by Firmbee.com on Unsplash

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