As all business and employees deal with this unprecedented health crisis, our leaders have been talking with our associates about how we will manage and work through this together. We hope by sharing our series, Our New Normal, you may find some tips that work for you personally or your company and further know we’re all in this together.
I don’t know about you, but, for me, the past weeks have been challenging both personally and professionally. It’s hard to believe our world and routine were turned upside-down so quickly. Now, like everyone else, I’m trying to determine how to manage responsibilities at work, while also monitoring “at-home school” for two young kids.
Communicating as a family
For my family, we’ve spent the past weeks in a state of trial and error. We had no idea what each day was going to look like. After reading a few articles like this‡ from NPR‡, we decided to have a family meeting to talk about how we were going to juggle work, school and family time.
Our family dynamic is similar to others’ who work at UMB. My husband and I both hold full-time positions and we have two young children ages six and eight. For us, splitting time working with the kids on their schoolwork has been the best solution. This way the kids have the support they need, and my husband and I can still manage our work.
I spent time discussing this new normal with my husband, my direct reports and my manager to make sure everyone was comfortable with the decision and to ensure everyone felt supported during this unprecedented time.
Not only did this provide me with some sense of organization, comfort and relief, but I’ve also had others tell me it’s helped them feel empowered to take a similar planning approach for their personal and work time. And knowing others understand and are empathetic is extremely encouraging for all of us.
Don’t be afraid to speak up
There is no playbook for this situation, and every family will have different dynamics, so I want to encourage you to discover what will work as your new normal. Take some time to establish your quasi-routine for the next several weeks and remember you can revise it as circumstances change. Talk with your manager and your colleagues about what your life looks like at home right now and how we can support each other. Everyone has a different situation that may be evolving and the only way we can get through this together is with open communication.
UMB is a 107-year-old financial institution—I promise you, we will keep moving forward, even if you need to step away for 30 minutes and help your kids do homework, play with your toddler or care for another family member or friend.
If you are working at a UMB office during this unusual time, I want to encourage you to also find time to take a break by ordering lunch and supporting our local communities.
UMB is here to support our customers and associates
UMB is here for you. We’ve spent the past several weeks communicating with our customers, and we are also caring for our associates through this difficult time, including:
- For our associates who can’t work from home, UMB is providing five additional PTO days and a $250 bonus per pay period.
- We created a UMB associate COVID-19 resource page that is filled with resources, such as how to adapt to working from home and how to get help if you are struggling with anxiety right now.
- We streamlined the application process for the UMB Associate Emergency Fund.
- UMB’s Employee Assistance Program is also available to help our associates and their family members if they need additional support.
We are all in this together. Thank you for your flexibility and resiliency as we quickly respond to the ever-changing pandemic.
Stay well,
Abby
See recent coverage in the Kansas City Business Journal,‡ Phoenix Business Journal,‡ St. Louis Business Journal‡ to see how UMB is helping support our customers, associates and communities during this time.
When you click links marked with the “‡” symbol, you will leave UMB’s website and go to websites that are not controlled by or affiliated with UMB. We have provided these links for your convenience. However, we do not endorse or guarantee any products or services you may view on other sites. Other websites may not follow the same privacy policies and security procedures that UMB does, so please review their policies and procedures carefully.
