How the year went Viral

We thought it was going to be a good year, instead it became a defining and pivotal milestone in our history.

I remember early in the year when the virus was spreading in Asia, I sent a note to my teammates in Europe and the US to give them a heads-up with basic advice about washing hands and avoiding crowds. It was just a friendly note of concern given the novel nature of the disease – and little did I know that within a few short weeks, they would be experiencing it themselves with their own lockdowns, quarantines, curfews, and rising hospitalisation rates.

Our dining table became a workbench for most of the day

This year has been anything but normal. Each one of us has experienced a rollercoaster ride of emotions, worries, and fears. We’ve gone through the stages of uncertainty, acceptance, understanding, and growth – a painful but necessary journey we humans navigate in any crises we encounter. Some of us handle it better than others, but we all try, in order to come out stronger on the other side.

In Singapore, our lockdown is called “Circuit Breaker”, a reference to the device in the electrical system which automatically engages to prevent electrocutions. It currently has not yet ended, but we are in a less restrictive phase allowing businesses to reopen with safe distancing measures and mandatory masking.

However, for almost two months, we were basically stuck at home, adults and kids alike. My children attended online school using a mixture of Zoom and Google Meet. There was a lot of discussion about sitting locations and angles to ensure nobody accidentally (or not) entered someone else’s video. Occasionally they shifted to the living room floor in front of the TV in order to attend Physical Education lessons, using a yoga mat which was hastily purchased online. Although this was new, untidy, and somewhat hilarious, I suspected these very same activities were being carried out in homes across the planet.

In contrast, the world outside went silent. Traffic stopped, planes gave up their wings, and factories shuttered. I had a chance to go for occasional walks to enjoy the empty sidewalks, overgrown shrubs and what seemed like fresher air. Nature had taken over with long grass, wild-flowers and butterflies enjoying their respite from humans.

A grasshopper. just hanging out in the overgrowth

Like companies everywhere, the company I work for was caught in a confusing mash-up of problems stemming from closed factories, evaporating demand, and a sense of powerlessness trying to navigate uncharted waters. Employees were naturally worried for their health as offices started to close worldwide as a precaution, which seemed to further accelerate the anxiety. Measures were quickly taken to preserve our financial stability while management tried to pivot around unprecedented scenarios played out in real-time across the markets.

But given our agility as a smaller company (after a recent split) and a management willing to make bold moves, we adapted quickly. Given the global shift to working and studying from home, we positioned ourselves as an “essential” company providing technology that enables workers and students to continue operating efficiently during a pandemic.

Gaming PCs are also great for doing homework

We’ve since emerged stronger than expected, and make no mistake, this had little to do with luck. Early on, our management knew that the original plans for the year had to be thrown out and quick action had to be taken to ensure we were always one step ahead of the evolving calamity. Communication with employees became an almost daily affair consisting messages of encouragement, empathy, and support while in the upper ranks, unseen by most, urgent war room meetings were likely being convened even over the weekends.

I wouldn’t say 2020 was a terrible year for us – although I’m aware and empathise with the many out there who have experienced sickness and loss, we mourn together as a human race. However, the year has allowed us a time of reflection, recalibration and recharging. We were tested by the fire of an invisible virus and hopefully come out stronger and more mature, in the knowledge that even in the toughest of times, we have the ability to accept and adapt, cry and laugh, and pick ourselves up after everything is over.

(A version of this article was also shared in an internal HP newsletter)